Semi Automatic
by SchizophrenicBard
Summary: In a split second decision, Harry made a choice that will forever change his life. Will Harry be able to survive this world long enough to return home? Or will he lose himself in the process? HP, Jak2 Crossover
1. Solo

**F/R: ** _This is the rewritten version of 'Semi-Automatic.' The original is still there for the others to read if they want. I was fifteen when I first started. Now that I'm older and the idea worked itself out. I'm still beta-less, but I will defiantly not be as bad as last time._

Well, I hope you enjoy this new version of Semi-Automatic.

**Disclaimer**: Jak 2 belongs to Naughty Dog and all characters from the Harry Potter series are property of J.K Rowling. Invisera, Ava, Neverous, Alec, and all original characters belong to me. (Only saying this once, people.)

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Semi-Automatic

Part I: Misplaced

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**Chapter One**: _Solo _

_**Invisera, Januria. 10. 3998**_

Isaac Neverous watched with morbid fascination as the young man writhed on the steel table. The child's hands were clenched so tightly his own nails cut crescents into his palms causing blood to trailing down his wrists and pool on either side of his body. A sordid smile tugged at the lips of the tall man, but it didn't reach his eyes. They remained emotionless to the boy's ordeal. Neverous was a man of results be damned the means to those favorable ends. The man stood with a hand resting on the top of his gun packed into black yakow leather holster. Opposed the man standing beside him, he wore no armor. Merely a dark blue leather jacket with his military rank displayed on his shoulders. The shirt he wore underneath a black turtle neck with two blue accents on the side. His black pants were tucked into metal-buckled combat wear.

"His readings are nominal and unchanged." Spoke one of the many machine coordinators in front of him. The woman, adjusting her square frame glasses, turned to face her superior. The streaming data that passed her screen was stalled on a thermal picture of the boy within the machines grasp.

"What did you expect?" He cocked a dark eyebrow towards her. The woman failed to answer as he reminded. "It has only been three days." Neverous was a patient man, tests like this needed time to show their potential. His ebony eyes moved from the coordinator to the soldier at his side.

Alec Vine, the young and recently promoted Commander of the Invisera Guard, stood beside him. The soldier had been top of his year and part of the highest ranking three-man group that had ever trained in Invisera. He was the most capable to be at this station, but it seemed that he wasn't completely without his faults. The man was finding anything but the lab before them of more interest. Unlike his superior and the scientists he hadn't learn to suspend his morals when it came to the test subjects. Neverous knew the young man very well and because of that he understood that he was likely torturing both the boy and his Commander.

He needed to learn if he was ever to replace him.

"We'll place him in the training program for this year." Neverous concluded at length. The Commander snapped his eyes to Neverous with a flash of surprise. Neverous clasped his hands behind his back while staring ahead. "Schedule the injections around the training program. I want a weapon capable of combat… Something that boy sorely lacks."

The coordinator glanced to the Commander but swiftly turned back to her monitor. "Yes Sir."

"General…" Alec spoke dragging his attention back. "That boy is no older than sixteen… If that." He motioned out to the boy still under the excruciating test. "He wouldn't make it past Hell Week."

Neverous smirked. "Now, that is Murdock's job to fix isn't it, Commander? I do expect you to keep an eye on our little subject also."

"Sir…" Alec conceded.

"Now," He instructed. "Take him back to his cell and get his details for the application."There was a hint of finality in his voice that left no room for argument. With a nod he turned on his heel to leave the viewing room into the hallway. The screaming had ceased as the needles pulled away from his arms. The machine came to a whirring stop, clicking back into its neutral stance. A frustrated sigh left his lips as soon as he was in the privacy of the corridor. Neverous evaluation of Alec's character had been right – He wasn't immune to the pleas that streamed out of the boy, nor the guilt that came with being a key player to his incarceration and eventual experimentation. He had, after all, been the one to stumble across the disorientated boy in the jungle. Even if he was a human, the first Alec had seen in his twenty-five year life, it did not warrant the fate he had now. Even if he survived past the week, he doubted that a child as malnourished as he was would make it in Invisera and if he did.

Neverous was asking too much.

_The pleading finally stopped… _The Commander thought bitterly dropping his hand to the green button at the side of the door. He practically punched the release as the door slid open for him. He stepped through the threshold and into the lab to find the scientists conversing with each other. They compared, checked, compiled, and excitedly discussed the latest data they had collected. They took far too much pride in what they were doing to a mere boy and, to Alec's sickening realization, joy.

It would make their careers in the scientific community once Neverous let this out. It wasn't often that one had a chance to see, no less experiment on, a human. Since humans were thought to be extinct since the early 1900's, it should have been impossible.

Oh, how different he was! Genetically he was a marvel. How he lacked the gene to be able to absorb and process Eco. He had more this, less of that, etcetera. Personally, the only difference the Commander saw was that his ears were short and curved not pointed. Other than that he looked like a perfectly normal teenager.

"Is that the reason for the pain?" He caught as he approached the two; the two guards at the door had also moved forward to follower their Commander.

The second scientist nodded his head. "Being what he is, rejecting the serum is a possibility. What we are trying to accomplish wouldn't be easy on an elfin body." The man shook his head slowly as he read off touch-screen chart held in his hand.

Alec cleared his throat pointedly to catch the attention of the two. They both looked up, but only the one holding the device raised an eyebrow to him. "You are here to take him?"

_Why else? _He had always wondered why the people of the Science Department always seemed to lack a certain degree of common sense. "Yes."

Snapping his leather clad fingers he pointed to the boy on the table. The guards moved past him to obtain the limp form. The thick leather straps, overkill in Alec's opinion, were the only things keeping him to the table. As the guards released his ankles and wrists, he fell lifelessly from the table. A low moan erupted from him, signaling that he was still conscious. This came as a surprise to both the guards and the scientists. Briefly the guards gave each other uneasy glance before reaching for the thin human laying at their feet.

It was a pathetic sight, really.

He had to give the human credit. This was the first time had he had remained conscious in the aftermath of the lengthy treatment. The scientists, in a display of their lack of compassion for a fellow sentient being, merely ignored the boy. _To them_, Alec shook his head with a sigh. _He's nothing more than another sheet of data. A thing not a person. _

His guards, however, handled the boy with a slight bit more mercy knowing he was awake. "Take him back to his cell." Alec relayed the order. "And collect him in an hour." Neverous had demanded that he have the application filled, but he could award the boy an hours grace… He found himself staring at the twin puddles of blood on either side of the steel table and snarled darkly at the scientists who knelt down to collect it. He gave the commander an alarmed look, confused to what he had done to invoke the man's anger.

He gave him a nervous grin. "No samples to small."

This didn't ease the soldiers anger as the scientist had hoped, it only made it worse and forced the man to slink back behind one of the consoles to prepare the sample and out of Alec's eyesight. Turning away with a shake of his head he unexpectedly met with the blood shot emerald. His entire body seem freeze as the boy's eyes bored into him with the same loathing he had shown the scientists.

Alec left. Swiftly.

~x~

On relfex his body curled into a protective ball as waves upon waves of inescapable pain rolled across his body. Both hands instinctively coiled around his stomach in an attempt to subside the fire that licked at his insides. Fresh blood from his hands stained the already filthy yellow shirt, the arms had been ripped away to gain access to his triceps and were also covered in blood. The torso and back were full of smaller tears; laden with dirt and blood.

Against the mind-reeling pain that ran rampant throughout him, against the nausea that flipped the contents of his stomach, he was able to gather his scattered thoughts into some semblance of order. His shoulders trembled violently as he tried to fathom a reason, a single, logical, sensible reason for the ordeal he had suddenly found himself in. Who these men were, what their aim was, why he had been chosen for this… or at the very least what the he had done in his life to deserve something like this.

He had endured three identical procedures like this, but he had never had the misfortune to be awake to feel the full effects of the aftermath. He had, however, learned the hard way that moving directly after was the worst idea he had. Ever. Cold air washed over his legs and crawled across his torso causing his body to tremble on pure instinct. He let out another pained moan; the action had lit his body on fire. For several agonizing minutes he waited for the pain to diminish. When it had subsided he was left breathless and groaning.

He didn't if he had been laying there deliriously for minutes or hours before the doors opened again. Out of fear his body tensed, the muscles painfully retracting inward, his breath quickened, and his heart raced desperatly. Two pairs of hands seized his arms, pulling them straight painfully. He groaned in protest, unable to make a more coherent sound, but it fell on deaf ears. His head lulled to his chest, eyes firmly shut, and bitting the inside of his cheek to silence further sounds escaping his abused throat. He didn't attempt to open his eyes knowing without his glasses it would be useless. He had lost them somewhere between the fight with those creatures with yellow gems in their heads or, at least, that was the last time the young human remembered having them. Nothing at this moment came without an unhealthy amount of uncertainty.

"Sit." Came a clear emotionless voice directly in front of him.

The human clumsily felt around in search of something to sit on. He only saw shapeless masses of grey, black, blue, and silver before him. His hands brushed over the aluminum silver blur and realized it was a chair. He practically fell into the seat his legs giving out on him at the prospect of no longer holding the boy's weight. His eyes traveled across the long grey blur to the blue and black. He blinked furiously trying to clear the haze, gave up quickly, and closed his eyes tiredly. He stifled another groan before resting his forehead on what he assumed to be a steel table.

"This isn't an interrogation," The voice explained. "I merely need a few personal details to fill in your enrollment application." The figure paused. "First off, what is your name?"

He took in a strangled breath. _Alec…_

Harry still clung to a fragmented order. "Why… Are you doing t-this… What are you d-doing to me?" His own voice made him wince. It was breathy, rasped, and the obvious result of screaming. In his mind the question wasn't complicated nor did it warrant what happened next.

Pain burst from the back of his head causing him to bite tongue sharply. He let out a yelp hand snapping the back of his head and the other to his mouth. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth instantly making him choke as he inhaled. He leaned forward coughing and spitting the warm substance onto the once silver table.

"I ask you again… What is your name?" Alec echoed.

"Harry…" Came the weak answer. Any trace of defiance had been washed away knowing that the man behind him had no qualms with striking him. He wrapped his fingers around the edges of the chair in an attempt to keep from falling off.

"Surname?" Alec coaxed.

"P… Potter." His eyes narrowed on the shapeless mass ahead of him. He vainly tried to throw off the drug-like haze that clung to every part of his abused body.

"Age?" Alec continued eyes cast down.

_How old am I? _Harry thought frantically. He couldn't remember if he was thirteen or fourteen. "Four…" He rasped, but winced as his punctured tongue gave a menacing throb causing him to close his mouth instantly. His shoulders tensed in anticipation of another hit.

"Fourteen?" There was surprise in Alec's voice.

Harry nodded tiredly.

The elf muttered while he scribbled the information down. "Younger than I thought…" There was a pause. "Are you by chance a wizard?"

Out of all the questions he thought the man would ask him this hadn't been one of them. The surprise knocked his quickly fading thoughts back in line. He raised a dark eyebrow towards the man trying to contemplate how to answer. He took in another breath; his throat felt as if he hadn't had water in years. "What… do you k-know about them?"

Once again the guard took it upon himself to straighten the disobedience out of the barely conscious child. This time, however, he hit him far harder than before. Harry's head jerked forward with such force his head rebounded off the table with a vicious crack. He let out another groan, this one weaker than the las, and kept his forehead pressed against the table while cradling the back of his head with his hands.

The Commander sent his chair skidding across the floor as he stood. His voice boomed with authority."I will have you replaced and demoted if you strike him one more time during this process!" He snarled at the man. "Don't confuse curiosity with defiance, you idiot! I need this done and he needs to be coherent for it." His eyes narrowed dangerously on the guard as he bowed his head and backed away.

"Sir."

Harry, however, had not understood the exchanged between the Commander and guard. Their words had stemmed quickly into nothing more than incoherent mumbles and far off whispers.

_I want to go home…_

Alec sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. He turned, retrieved his chair, and sat down. He placed the pen down to message both his temples trying to ease his voice back into a even tempermant. "We don't' know much." He told Harry. "Only that some humans were and some were not. They had the ability to create anomalies, anomalies that were beyond any scientific explanation." Alec paused before going on. "To answer your first question. Human's haven't existed for upwards of three thousand years." He motioned to the piece of paper in front of him. "This is your enrollment application to this year's program… A training facility."

Harry, against the pain, raised his head to look at the mass in front of him. "I… I am one…" He decided that there was no harm in telling him. What more could they do to him, right? A warm sensation ran down his top lip into his mouth. He placed a shaky hand to his upper lip and pulled it feeling the slick blood between his fingers. He took his ripped collar and wiped it away.

The silence in the room was deafing.

"Hmm… I see… Final question, when is your birthday?"

Another simple question.

"J-July… 31st 1981…"

Apparently another not-so-simple answer.

"What?" Even Harry could hear the disbelief in his voice. "… A… Time…" He trailed off speaking to himself. "What month is July?" He question looking down at the paper.

"… Seventh?" Harry responded unsure… Was it the eighth?

"Julico 31st 3984." He spoke, once again, to himself. He raised a hand with a dismissive wave. "Take him back to his cell. We have what we need."

Harry's felt a rush of relief. The thought of leaving this room and going back to somewhere quiet allowed him to forget that it was his _cell _he was elated to be going back to. He wanted to curl into a ball and sleep until his next treatment. He shuddered involuntarily at the very vivid memory.

_Remember… Quiet cell, no more questions… You can curl up and pretend you are somewhere else. _

Just as the guards hand fell on Harry's shaking shoulder the door opened and nother black mass came into the room. For a brief moment it brought the attention away from Harry. "Sir," The mass saluted. "Your presence is required in the hall. Baron Praxis has arrived."

Alec let out another sigh. "You're dismisses, Talis." He cast his eyes somberly towards the child leaning forward in his chair to get away from the hand. Harry had his head turned towards the guards, but curiously he was squinting desperately at them.

_He can't see. _Alec surmised.

"But.. Sir…" He started.

The Commander, already irate with the soldier, replied sharply. "I think I can handle a half drugged teenager. If you doubt my abilities," His voice held a dark tone. "I'll be more than happy to show them to you in the Arena."

Harry felt the guard's hand clench his shoulder tighten in anger. He didn't dare make a sound, afraid the soldier would deliver another savage blow to the back of his head. From what he remembered of Alec, the man was lean and muscled. His face was sharp, proud, and young. His hair was black and cut military style. He remembered thinking that man's eyes were the similar to Dumbledore's… Perhaps that's why he had trusted him so naively.

The teen stood, with effort, from the chair. He glanced nervously between the two blurry figures. Harry hadn't the faintest idea of what he was supposed to be doing… if Alec was needed somewhere else… Why was he taking the responsibility of watching him?

_I want to go back to the cell... _He thought desperately.

The soldier, Talis, left the room as soon as Harry had started to stand. The unpleasant pressure of his hand removed and Harry was allowed to breathe a slight sigh of relief. Alec, however, replaced that relief with trepidation. The Commander had unclipped two bronze circles, handcuffs, from his belt. He took Harry's hands at first, but the teenager – in a spur of defiance – yanked them away dispite the pain the action caused. He narrowed his eyes at the Commander and let out a soft grunt.

_This is his fault… _

The man was apparently thrown by this action, but reached forward with more force and pulled. Harry let out a yelp and fell to his knees as a wave of dizzying pain coursed through his sore forarms and his cut triceps. "For Mar's sake..." Muttered the man standing before him. He pulled the boy back to his feet and spun him around gripping his shoulder and pushed him forward. The grip wasn't as harsh as the guard before him, but strong enough to assert who was in charge. A dull stinging sensation erupted from where the metal touched his skin. The teenager glanced over his shoulder at the dark mass that was Alec and then to his hands… No, there was no point in complaining about it. He needed to focus on staying awake.

The teen closed his eyes as the walked forward. His only focus was placing one foot in front of the other. He could just make out the whirring of sound of a door, the hiss of a pressure lock, and then the bounce of the ground under him as they stepped onto an elevator. The only thing that kept the human from falling face first into the floor was the hand on his shoulder.

"Hold up…" Alec muttered behind him jerking his shoulder back.

Harry was turned to stand face to face with the soldier. He moved backward, flinching away from his hand. Alec, however, didn't let go. His hand was moving behind him, but for what Harry didn't know. He felt something shoved onto his nose and instantly his vision was clear. He blinked several times reaching up his hand to feel the round frames of his worn glasses. "My glasses…" He muttered.

The long-eared elf nodded his head curtly. He turned him around again and pushed him into the elevator. He joined him, but not before pressing one of the many buttons on the side. He stood left of him, eyes closed as the elevator started to move.

"You lied." Harry dared to say. The Commander opened his eyes at this and looked to him. For a brief moment their eyes met and for a second, he saw a flash of regret. He glared at the Commander, hands fisting in the cuffs. "You lied."

Without a word he pushed Harry out of the doors with the heel of his palm. Harry took in the room with slight awe. The elevator they had entered was at the far corner of the massive room. A finely polished oak table sat in the middle of the room. In the centre was a transparent blue half sphere. The walls were obsidian in color, blue wall hangings with the same insignia on Alec's sparse armor hung at intervals on three of the walls. The floors were a dark stained wood with a sharp gloss. The back wall, however, was made of glass. It looked over a seemingly endless canopy of jungle. In the background the cloudless sky was set on fire with the dying sun.

"Ah, Commander Vine." Spoke the deep baritone voice of Neverous. His very voice sent shivers down the youth's spine. Terror wasn't quite the word to describe Harry's feelings towards the man… Mortified was a better word.

Neverous was easily twice is size and his mere presence was akin to that of Voldemort. The wizard glanced to his left to see that two men in heavy armor were standing at the edges of the table tucked away near the back. Their faces were adorned with similar blue patterns; thick strips and smaller circles that extended down their necks to disappear under traces of black fabric that could be seen between the junction of their helmets and chest plates.

It was the person in the middle of them that surprised Harry the most. Between them, his hands cuffed in front of them, was a much shorter long-eared elf. The elf's eyes flashed to him, then to his cuffs, then to the floor seeming non-interested.

Harry had not seen a mirror in nearly four days, but he felt as bad as the elf reminded him of a miner who just completed a week worth of work in a coal mine complete with worn and ash covered clothing. His eyes, blue, were locked on the ground at his feet while he moved his hands within the confines of the large manacles bitterly. His hair was an odd combination of green roots and blonde ends. Large purple circles under the teenager's eyes suggested he hadn't had a decent rest in nearly a month. However, if Harry had to guess, the greenish bruising around his left eye wasn't from lack of sleep.

"To tell you truth, Isaac, I didn't believe your claim." Spoke a different voice. Snapping his eyes back to the table he noticed the two men right of Neverous. The one who had spoken was sitting in the chair. He was an older man; half of his face was covered – or made of – metal. His hair was dark with two grey accents only at his roots. He was a broad shouldered man and just as tall, if not taller, than Neverous himself. In short, the man was _huge. _What unnerved Harry, beside his stature, was the fact his eyes were deep shade of red and held all the same malice as Voldemort.

Neverous nodded his head with a deep chuckle. His dark eyes found Harry and considered him like one would a trophy. "Alec found him in the Ivory Jungle a mile from here. I, too, was surprised when my Commander brought him in… Bring the boy over here, Vine." He motioned Alec and Harry forward.

Alec hissed to Harry. "Don't do anything stupid."

The Commander handed the boy over to one of the blue armored guards as he took his position to the left of his superior. The guard ushered him forward with flat palms against his back. Harry then took notice of the second man while he was lead across the room like a show dog. He wore less armor than the other two guards. A jacket, similar to Alec's, and pants that were a combination of yellow and blue; a red chest plate and shoulder armor the only red the man wore. Across the plate were white runes that Harry couldn't decipher. He held him self with a certain arrogance that strongly reminded him of Lucius Malfoy. His orange hair was slicked back under a helmet and his amber eyes resting lazily on the metal-faced man as he continued their conversation.

"He looks rather young." The man observed. "You said earlier that you are performing… tests on him?"

Alec held a neutral expression, but the red head looked slightly intrigued. "Yes," Neverous nodded his head to him. "We are using an infusion of proteins, various enhancing drugs that have been mixed with diluted canine DNA…" He smirked lightly. "My scientists tell me that the canine DNA is required to help the process along. Apparently their tests have determined that the breed is able to handle the drugs." Neverous looked back to him. "I don't want to chance losing the first and probably last human we have by exposing him to Eco."

Harry furrowed his brow in confusion. _Proteins, drugs, and canine blood? Why does all that hurt so much? What the hell type of drugs do they have? _

The metal-faced man considered Harry with far more understanding than Harry had been able to obtain from the explanation. Neverous went on looking to his Commander for the answer. "As for age?"

"Fourteen." Alec answered automatically, almost lifelessly.

Both of the men, even the guards standing with the elf, looked to Harry with disbelief. They had all assumed he was young, but fourteen seemed to have pushed it. Harry decided that the floor held more interest as he wetted his chapped lips. Neverous, however, kept his emotions schooled. "What of the haggard looking boy over there?" He jerked his chin towards the emerald blonde.

The elf shifted on his bare feet for a moment, but kept his on the ground. "We have decided to place him, along with ten others, in our Dark Warrior Program. Daily injections of Dark Eco." He explained to him easily, completely uninterested in the blonde.

Surprise did work its way to Neverous's eyes this time. "Dark Eco?" He repeated. "And the boy is breathing?"

There was a smirk on the red head's face as he looked to the blonde. The blonde snarled at him, eyes narrowing dangerously. The red head raised an eyebrow and slid his hand down to the gun resting at his hip silently tempting him to say, move, or do anything that would give him an excuse to use the weapon. His look screamed. 'I dare you.'

Instantly the teenager looked away grinding the middle of the shackles together angrily.

"He's a channeler." Answered the metal-faced man unaware of the silent exchange between the prisoner and his second.

"Rare find," Neverous commented fingers interlocking in front of him. "Almost as rare a human now a days."

"Yes, but to the point." The man said with annoyance. "Invisera is highly regarded. A quarter of my soldiers have trained here before coming to my guard."

Neverous spoke glancing to Alec. "I believe I'm expecting another family member?"

The Commander nodded his head, clearly understanding what the man was getting to. The brunette didn't speak for several seconds before going on to say at length. "I am requesting that we put our surviving test subject into your program for a year. The rest will be dealt with at the Academy."

"Of coarse Baron Praxis." Neverous didn't miss a beat. "I'm having the human placed also. The first year is the training… As your Commander is fully aware of and the second is honing skills in the Ivory Jungle." He paused. "I believe you and I have business to talk about alone. Alec," He turned to look at his Commander. "Take him to the cell."

"Sir." Alec responded with a straight back. He walked back over to Harry who glared at the incoming Commander. He easily ignored the heated look while telling the guard to follow him and turning back to the elevator. Harry was grabbed by the chain connecting his cuffs and pulled ruthlessly forward. He stumbled, still light headed, at first. The guard paused for a moment for Harry to catch his balance, half expecting to drag the teen from the room. It seemed, however, that he didn't need anymore coaxing.

Harry and the blonde/green haired elf were placed shoulder to shoulder as they stood at the entrance to the elevator. Neverous and Baron's voices faded as the metal doors closed.

"You got promoted." Stated the red head more than asked.

The Invisrin nodded his head. "Yes, recently. You became the K.G Commander? I thought Torn had that before you." He looked to the man with a raised eyebrow and lopsided smirk.

"He did." The man said disdainfully, even his voice reminded him of Malfoy Senior. "He defaulted from the guard." They stepped off the elevator. Harry didn't catch, or care to hear, the rest of the conversation. His headache had started to pulse with a hideous intensity. He shared a fleeting glance with the blonde before him, but neither of them cared to look at each other much longer than a second. He took a keen interest in the wall beside them and Harry in his shoelaces.

Suddenly Alec had whipped him around, almost giving him whiplash, and removed the handcuffs. "Get in," he ordered tiredly motioning to the open cell. Harry frowned, but didn't hesitate while he moved into the cell. As the elf had his cuffs removed Alec went on. "We'll keep him here… What did Torn do exactly?"

Once the elf had been shoved into the room the door closed leaving the both of them in the small dark space. The blonde glared over his shoulder while rubbing his chaffed wrists. He let out a heavy sigh dropping his hands to his sides. "Who are you?" He asked hoarsely. Like the other elves he had run into his accent was American.

For a second Harry didn't answer. He turned his back to the elf and limped over to his metal cot. Slumping down on the thin mattress he pressed his hands to his face. "The name is Harry."

A creaking of the second cot let Harry assumed that the elf had sat down on it. He was still amazed that such a small space was meant for two people. "Jak." He told him. "My name is Jak." He rubbed the nape of his neck watching Harry. He seemed to be trying to tell if Harry was going to attack him in his sleep or not. He leaned one elbow on his knee. "Do you know what this place is?" Jak, as he had told Harry, glanced to the dark jungle just outside the barred window.

"No." He shook his head tiredly. "I have no sodding idea."

A frigid breeze slipped through the window causing both to shiver while their breath came out in bursts of smoke. Harry could just make out half of the elf in the light of the cell. He was rubbing the tops of his arms for warmth. His clothes barely clung to him and offered no warmth at all. Harry broke the awkward silence. "What… are they doing to you?"

It wasn't the best ice-breaker, but Harry wasn't too sure if Jak was going to attack him while he slept either. As far has Harry concerned, or Jak for that matter, he could have been a murderer or some other unsavory character that actually deserved to be here…

Or he could have been innocent.

Jak looked up for a moment. "Dark Eco experiments." He offered leaning fully on his thighs. "I've been in Haven City nearly a month." He raised a green eyebrow to him. "You?"

"I didn't know until a couple minutes ago." Harry admitted. "Protein, drugs… and canine DNA or something like that… Hurts like bloody hell."

"… You're bleeding." Jak tapped the space between his nose and upper lip.

"Thanks…" Harry muttered rubbing the back of his hand across his lip.

"Are there anymore humans like you?" The elf continued, his curiosity getting the better of him.

In truth Harry had no idea… But, if he told the real deal, he doubted that the elf would believe him. Harry barely believed it himself. "No," He decided. "I think I'm the last one."

His cellmate nodded his head slowly before turning his gaze to the window. "Worst thing…" He started quietly. "I'm not exactly sure how I got here." He raised his hands with a bemused smirk. "There was this light and bam." He punched his open hand with his fist. "I'm clubbed over the head and dragged into prison."

Harry removed his hands from him face to look at the elf. His exhausted smirk had faded into a frown while he stared at the floor. "How… so?" He ventured. The story sounded oddly familiar.

"A portal… well… A Rift Gate." He corrected himself. "I was separated from my friends when we came through…" The channeler told him earnestly. "And… here I am."

"Funny…" Harry muttered. A flash of anger crossed the elf's eyes, but Harry quickly said. "No… I don't mean it like that. I came here… a similar way. I'm not exactly from this place either."

A small smirk tugged at the corner of Jak's mouth. "A lot in common I guess…"

Silence lapsed between them as the night had completely fallen. A soft humming crept into the room causing him to open his eyes. In the dark he saw a small neon green light hovering in the middle of the room. It took him a moment to realize that the large light was an insect… a very large insect. Jak moved forward, his face illuminated by the muted green, and cupped the insect in his hands.

"Firefly…" Muttered Jak as he trapped the glowing creature between his fingers carefully. Harry watched silently as he squished it between his thumb and forefinger. Even dead the bio-luminescent light flared brightly against his fingers. He leaned forward to the space between their cots and pressed his palm against it. Once he removed his hand the room was filled with a soft light.

He spoke lightly. "Where I come from, Sandover, we used to paint our faces with firefly paint… It lasts for awhile."

"Ah…" Was all Harry could think of saying. He had to admit that with the substance on the wall the cell seemed less… oppressive. Jak returned to his cot and faced his back to Harry. "Hey… Jak?"

"Yeah?" Came the tired reply.

"… What's Dark Eco?"


	2. Waking Up To A Nightmare

**F/R: **_Yeah! People are still reading, thank-you, thank-you, and thank-you._

**Reviewer Response: **

**Salamander Hanzo: **It's got angst, drama, and guns, what's not to love? **  
**

**Zephyrus Genesis: **I like the name, but I did change the synopsis – slightly. :P

**The Beckster: **:P Chapter two goes out to you since you're the first reviewer

**Never Odd Or Even: **Love the name by the way and neither can I.

**ALIJJ**: … Thank you?

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Semi-Automatic

Part I: Misplaced

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**Chapter Two: **_Waking Up to A Nightmare _

**Invisera, Januria. 11. 3998**

The brilliant flash of green startled Harry awake with the faded image of Cedric Diggory's body. His breath was quick, his skin covered in a thin layer of sweat, and head pulsing with a horrible ache. He rose his shaking hands to his face and dug his uneven nails into his hair line with frustration, guilt, and exhaustion. His dreams had been filled with the images of the graveyard since he had arrived here. Despite the horrors he now faced, his subconscious was stuck on the ones he had escaped. It left him trembling and the unwanted companion of gut-wrenching guilt. He had even woken up screaming 'No' as the green soared behind closed eyes and his forehead set on fire.

_'I can't catch a break...' _He thought miserably as he cast a fleeting glance at the cot opposite him. Tossing about and waking startled was all fine and good when he was alone… But with another unfortunate soul in the room, it was embarrassing. Harry waited for several long moments before he was satisfied that the boy had not heard him.

The sun had crept through the barred window in the early morning hours. The faded pulse of the green hand print was made invisible by the stark orange light that seemed to make the cell small and oppressive. He groped blindly for his glasses, glad he had remembered to remove the before going to bed. Harry doubted that they would be replaced if he broke them while flailing around in his sleep. Once shoved back onto his nose, minding his cellmate, he crept up to the window. He slipped his filthy hands around the slim bars; the metal cool to the touch and let out a miserable sigh.

In some part of his mind he had hoped, prayed, hell _pleaded _that he would wake up and it would have all been a horrible, but forgettable, nightmare. That he would wake up in the Gryffindor Tower late for class. Right now, even after maybe a week, he would have settle for double Potions with the Slytherins or detention with Snape. Anywhere but there in that small cell in the middle of a jungle surrounded by long-eared elves and iron bars.

Not wanting to confront the unwanted reality he was faced with, Harry released his grip on the bars and reluctantly returned to the creaking cot. He threw himself, defeated, down onto his already protesting back. He found himself slightly jealous of blonde. The boy had practically passed out as soon their conversation had ended. Finding a restful night despite how much was going on around them. How much both of them were so screwed.

He had been dealing with it longer, Harry reminded himself, he could roll with the punches while Harry found himself stumbling back.

The elf had spent the better part of the night explaining what Dark Eco was to a confused and bewildered boy… Well, after he had asked him if he was serious. What Harry had been able to gather from the lengthy explanation was that 'Eco', in general, was the lifeblood of the planet. Whatever that happen to mean. Dark Eco was, well, _dark _for a lack of a better term. It was like acid, Jak had told him, destroying anything and everything it touched. It was poison to elves, instant death to those who were luck. To those less fortunate Dark Eco poisoning was considered to be the worst death that a man or woman could ever bring on themselves.

After a small silence that allowed Harry to take in what he had been told. He had dared to ask Jak why he hadn't died from it.

Jak had failed to answer.

The wizard stared at the ceiling above him with heavy eyes. He wondered, for what seemed to be the millionth time, if he was going to live past this week. He extended his arm out in front of him palm facing the roof with his fingers spread. He examined the dirt under his fingers nails, the trails of dried blood along his wrist, and small cuts that had developed over the back of his hand.

All together, his hands were in rough shape. The worst part was that the crescents in his palms were starting to fester.

_Losing my wand, _he thought bitterly closing his fist as the cuts ached, _I can't use magic. At least then I would have been able to get out of here… _The feeling of helplessness crept through the Harry like sickness. He was truly stuck without a way out.

After a few fruitless moments, even with the nightmares that awaited him, Harry was sorely tempted to go back to sleep. It was the sound of metal plated boots that vaulted him from the edges of unconsciousness. His eyes snapped open while panic flitted into his now stricken mind. He knew that sound. It was the sound of Invisrin-issued combats drawing closer to his door. He strained to listen; there was only one set. He prayed it was just a soldier passing by.

The mechanical click, the release of the pressure lock, and the crank of the door told Harry he wasn't that lucky. His panic bled into fear as the black armored guard stepped through the threshold. The door release had woken the elf in the other cot, his head bolted up now staring at the figure that had entered their cell. Unlike Harry, there was no fear in the his eyes, only annoyance and caution.

Harry sat up, but didn't make any attempt to move off the cot. He clenched the metal frame tightly knowing that the man was here to take him to the table. The cuts and infected wounds sent waves of pain through his hands, numbing the tips of his fingers, but fear dulled the ache while he focused on the guard before him. His face held nothing but contempt and it was directed at Harry. He walked forward, clearing the space with two strides, and stood over him. Without a word his hand snapped up to Harry's collar, fisting the yellow material, and jerked him clear off the bed.

Harry let out a surprised yelp as his own hands snapped to the guards in a vain attempt to pull them away. His legs, now clear of the ground, thrashed out. His knees violently knocked against the thick metal armor causing spasms of fresh pain to shoot up his thighs.

"I almost got demoted," he hissed lowly, "Over a stupid human, I almost got demoted." His voice dripped with venom. He was not speaking to Harry, but to himself. His voice was menacing, but it wasn't his voice that put the fear of god in the fourteen year old. It was the look in his eyes. A look Harry had seen often on the face of his Uncle. A look that said he was going to cause him as much pain as humanly possibly without killing him. Harry felt his blood run cold and heart stop as the man raised his fist back.

_'God help me…' _He closed his eyes before impact, too afraid to watch.

The sheer force behind the armored fist sent his mind reeling. He met the wall, groaning as slid to the ground. He wished the assault had ended there. The guard unleashed a volley of savage kicks into his side. He yelped in pain, arms coming up to shield his face in an attempt to protect what little he could.

With a muffled bang spots of white flashed in front of the teen's eyes. His hands fumbling to his side to feel the warm liquid rush over numb fingers. For a moment he felt nothing. Then pain radiated through in a nauseating wave. His breath hitched in his throat, eyes staring wildly at the barrel of a gun.

The second shot missed. It cleared Harry face by inches leaving a red mark on his already bloody face and hole in the back wall.

Somewhere between Harry being tossed to the wall and the man aiming for a second shot – Jak had leapt off his cot, grabbed the soldier's arm, and forced it up – Narrowly avoiding the beaten human's chest. The Invisrin, in momentary disbelief, felt the fist connect and shatter his nose. He grunted in pain, but reacted quickly as Jak's body followed through with the momentum of the jab. He brought his knee into Jak's chest with a vicious crack.

"Nice try." He responded sarcastically, wiping the blood clear of his upper lip. The blonde stumbled backwards, chest heaving with a desperate attempt to fill his lungs. Even winded the boy had enough presence of mind to keep out of the guard's reach. The gun was now aimed at the floor instead Harry's prone and bleeding form.

Jak his teeth against the throbbing of his ribcage, unsure if the man had broken any of his ribs.

The sound of metal grinding against metal cause his eyes to snap back to the guard. He found that the guard was no longer in front of him, but at his feel. For a moment Jak couldn't understand what had happened before he realized Harry was longer propped against the wall. The wounded teen had thrown himself at the unsuspecting guard to bring them both crashing to the floor.

As if Harry was a rag doll, the guard threw him off into the metal railing of the cot. He regained his balance quicker than either of the teens would have anticipated for a man in as thick of armour as he wore. Ruthlessly he jabbed the heel of his boot into the bullet wound, snarling down at Harry triumphantly. Harry let out a staggering cry as the guard forced it down deeper. Staggering to his feet Jak looked ready to leap at the man again, but before he had time to react, the man had out a metal rod. Harry had never seen the device before, it looked harmless, but recognition and fear flashed across the Jak's eyes. The boy tried to dodge the red end, but the tip grazed his arm serving him a thousand watt charge.

Jak's eyes glazed over as he swayed on spot for a moment before collapsing in a heap with a faint groan. The man took in a deep breath, his nose still bleeding, and looked to Harry who was still under his foot. For a second terrified green met irate blue. The malice charged look on the man's face made Harry assume he was about to die. Harry looked away, panting, and clamped his eyes shut. He knew as he heard the click o the gun that he was going to die. He was not ready to face him death... Just as Voldemort had said, he was not a brave man like James Potter. He was a terrified fourteen year old boy trapped in a nightmare. He held his breath in anticipation, hearing the man chuckle slightly as he trembled violently beneath him.

Yet, nothing came. No pain, no loud discharge of the weapon, simply a frustrated groan. The pressure was taken off his side, the man packed away his gun, and left. Harry lay hopelessly bleeding, and confused, on the floor. It was then he realized what the bastard had planned. He was going to let Harry bleed to death. He didn't even have the decency or the mercy to the end his miserable existence. Yes, at that moment, that's what his life was. A miserable existence filled with a constant plethora of abuse.

Why couldn't he just die yet?

"Hah-Harry?" Breathed a hoarse voice to his left; Jak. "Y-You still…"

The warm liquid was quickly pooling under him, but he was still alive. He could already feel it soaking through the material of his shirt and slick his skin. How much blood did you have to lose before you lost consciousness? How much before you died? These questions ran through his mind numbly as it started to slip away from him. His vision was fading quickly, he couldn't feel his legs, or his arms, anymore. He let his eyes drift back into his head… Sleep was a really good idea… Just a few moments…

"Say-Stay awake," Came a sharp order from the left of him with a hard punch to the arm. Harry's eyes snapped open, moaning in discomfort. "Juh-Just stay awake… _Please_…" The voice pleaded desperately to his left. "_Not another one…_"

Blinding light filled the room, and for a moment, Harry thought he was dead. That this was the light at the end of the tunnel… He couldn't feel his body anymore; breathing seemed to have become more of a hassle than a basic necessity. When the voices started to speak he realized that he was far from dead. He body had gone numb from shock and he wasn't able to breathe because blood was pooling in the back of his throat. An unknown force twisted his neck to the right and the blood spilled onto the already coated floor. He let out a pained sob as the force removed itself from his cheek.

"He's alive, Commander," the voice was barely above a whisper to Harry, "barely."

_'Just leave me here_,' Harry thought faintly, '_I don't want to play your game any more.'_

Alec's voice joined the haze. "So is this one…" a brief pause, "Why has a Shock Rod been used on him, Talis?" the voice demanded suspiciously, "You were assigned to patrol this area, no?"

"The boy," the guard didn't miss a beat, "started to attack the human, I had to sub-due him, Sir."

"_Liar_!" Rasped Jak.

Pure instinct was what drove Harry to take deep breaths. He started to cough violently and choke for air while his body shuddered with pain. Once again he felt the force push his head to the side.

"To sub-due the boy… You shot the human?" The Commander asked with a deadly seriousness. "The boy's records state that he is violent towards the guards. Never a cellmate." He informed him dryly. "You two take them to the Hospital. If either of them dies, it will be more than your rank that Neverous will take from you."

A pair of hands seized his arms pulling him to his numb legs. They were half dragged, half carried, out o the cell into the hallway. The blue tinted glass of the exit slid a part as they approached. Harry felt a rush of warm air against his skin, it was the last sensation Harry experience before blood loss won out. He truly believed that the burst of warm sunlight would be the last thing he ever saw.

~x~

Alec should have known Talis would do something like this. The man was too proud, too _arrogant _to let a threat like Vine had promised for his actions. Unable to take his frustration out on the Commander, he had turned to the source - a helpless boy. Alec shuddered to think what would have happened had he not decided to bring the human boy to the injection himself.

The Commander ignored the alarmed looks of the Invisrins leaving the Hospital wing while he strode towards it with a furious look on his face. Their Commander followed by two guards carrying two _boys, _one covered in blood and _still _bleeding, wasn't a common sight. They would assume it was a training accident, first years that had failed a mission. He would deal with the more outlandish rumors that were to come of this later. At the moment he had to make sure that the human, and the blonde boy, made it through the night. He came into the white and blue foyer and his eyes fell on nurse behind the desk.

"Hello Comman-" She started to greet him, but her eyes were drawn immediately to the bloody mess behind him.

"They need immediate medical care," He stated the obvious as her eyes widened, "I need it now. He has been shot."

What he had assumed to be a slow day for the medical staff had suddenly exploded into the worst case scenario. Instantly they sprang into action around them, their training taking over. He had always admired the medical staff for their efficiency and professionalism. The woman behind the desk picked up the phone and called out a code he didn't know. The guards were immediately relieved of their temporary charges and split onto separate gurneys.

"Get an OR ready – Take him to ICU." One shouted pointing at the dazed blonde still twitching from electrocution. Alec was how stricken the boy looked. Despite his own injuries he was pushing against the hands of the medics to get off the gurney and follow the path the others took Harry. He was so frantic it took three male nurses to push him down and two more to get a sedative into him.

Alec clenched his fists tightly at his side as the human disappeared through the double doors and the boy down a narrow hall. _'Why is it always children for these Precursor-damned experiments.' _ "Get me Talis, now." He ordered his lieutenant, his expression making the lieutenant wonder if the man would walk away from this confrontation alive.

~x~

Light was the first thing to assaulted Harry as he regained consciousness. For a moment he wasn't quite sure if he was alive until the pain hit, the light burning his eyes sharply. He let out a hiss and snapped his eyes shut to protect them. It took him several more minutes to comprise himself before he attempted to open his eyes again. It took him a moment to adjust, but when they did he found himself staring at a brilliantly, almost painfully so, white tiled ceiling.

He could hear two monotone beats, one jumped erratically as the memories came flooding back. Harry let out a small groan as he tried to move, but his body gave strong protest and fell right back against the bed. He cast his eyes to his right arm to see that a needle was placed firmly into the back of his hand. It was pushing a neon green liquid into him, probably the reason he could barely feel anything. He had been shot, even if they have operated on him, he should feel a lot more pain then the dull ache he.

Trying to move his left hand to remove the I.V he realized it was cuffed to the metal guard railing. Turning his head, panicking slightly, he noticed that there was a second bed in the room. Jak sat hunched over, chin in palm with angry eyes set on the window his bed was pressed against. Bitterly and frustrated he tugged at the bronze ring that kept him attached to his own bed.

"God…" groaned Harry as his head fell back against the pillow, "… He actually _shot _me."

He really was The-Boy-Who-Lived… Or more of The-Boy-Who-Just-Won't-Die…

… Even if he wanted too.

The elf, jumping at Harry's voice, swung his head around. Harry noticed the boy relax instantly as soon as he saw Harry, but remained silent.

_'Stay awake… __Just stay awake… Please.'_

"What…" Harry rasped. "Did you mean not… Not another one?" The desperation that he remembered in the elf's voice threw him slightly. Without the harsh jab to his shoulder that jerked him awake, Harry would have succumb to the blood loss minutes before the doors had opened to reveal the soldiers. He didn't understand why the elf cared or why he looked horrified that Harry had asked.

"I…" He clenched the fabric of the blanket underneath him. "In… In a month I've lost ten cellmates… I…" He looked away embarrassed and ashamed. "I was being… more selfish than… selfless…"

Harry had heard of war veterans or soul survivors of horrific accidents often suffered from something called survivor's guilt. You were, somehow, that lucky bastard to survive something that hundreds didn't… In Jak's case – ten. He had seen ten people die in front of him from the same treatment he was getting and he was still breathing. He had put himself on the line to protect someone he barely knew because in some twisted way he wanted to be the one to die in there if it had come to that.

"Thanks… I think." Harry muttered.

The blonde gave him a weak smile. "Don't mention it."

Harry turned his head away from the elf, closed his eyes, and let out a sigh. Stretching his arm across his body he felt the rough surface of the bandaged around his tender side. Had they operated? If so… How long was he out for?

"Your hand!" Jak blurted out.

Eyes snapping open and to his hand… there was nothing wrong with it.

Then he looked at his right.

"Oh god…" He breathed.

~x~

Alec Vine's threat hung in the air as he stared at the two residents. They walked silently on either side of him considering what it would mean to disobey the Commander or, to be more precise, the General he took orders from. They were in the business of saving lives, but self-preservation still took hold. He had made a note to remind them as they walked down the hallway to the foyer of the level of discretion needed when dealing with the human and the Havenite prisoner.

The scream of absolute and pure agony made them recoil all. The medical staff had heard screams of pain before, they had dealt with victims of Dark Eco Poisoning, but this was something else. The resident to the left of the Commander swore as he swung his head around to the door that it came from. He fell into a dead run yelling over his shoulder "That's where we put them!"

Realization came over the second white-coat, as the soldiers called them, and she took off after the Commander who was already running after the man. As Alec neared the door he could hear metal scraping against metal. The Commander, who had over taken the first white-coat in a foot race, slipped through it before it had time to fully open. He jerked back at the sight that greeted him.

The human was the one who was screaming. His legs and free arm thrashing madly as he noticed that his right arm was turning green. Lunging forward Alec reached for the Green Eco I.V inserted into his palm. He dodged the flailing limbs and was able to grab the cord and pull. The needle ripped out of the boy's hand but the small victory of short lived as pain burst from the side of his head. The boy's left hand had burst the precursor metal cuff and slammed into the side of Alec's face with break neck force.

The Commander, recovering quickly, reached over the thrashing teen's body to grab the leathers straps attached to the bed frame. He was hit several more times across the chest, shoulders, and stomach. He grunted in pain, but was able to get the strap tied. Another nurse, a man with blue hair, leapt forward to restrain his still flailing legs. Securing the straps was almost impossible with the thrashing teenager screaming bloody murder. The nurse earned a black eye when the teen's heel had struck him in the face.

Alec stepped back breathless and with blood trailing down from his nose. He swiped his gloved hand across his upper lip. His head was still ringing from the blow. He was silently amazed at the strength the blow had behind it. He had faced Metal Head's that packed less of a punch than that.

Sovak, the male white-coat assigned to them, took one look at the teens arm and spun on a female nurse. "_What the hell were you thinking?" _He practically screamed.

Her pink eyes widened with horror. "I-I-It was just a Green Eco in-"

Sovak growled at her and pointed to the still writhing human. "Are you blind! Can't you see this is a _human_? We have no idea what Eco will do to him! I gave you strict orders not to give him a damn infusion! That was for the damn kid of over there!" He pointed to the horrified, and concerned, blonde elf in the bed near the window.

"I…" She tried. "The charts…" She defended.

"Sir," Whispered a brunette beside Alec as Sovak began to rip the nurse a new one. Alec cast his eyes down to her, his hand pinching the bridge of his now broken nose. The slow pounding that had started was doing nothing for his already irate mood. "Here." She nurse handed him a ice pack.

He nodded his thanks to her. The small pains in his chest, face, and stomach from the human's knee would increase tenfold as the day wore on. The brunette beside him jumped aside as the pink eyed elf rushed out of the room as if she had a Aether on her heels. Alec cast his eyes to Sovak while the nurse moved to help her co-worker with his swollen eye.

"Idiot… I didn't spend three hours in surgery to have him die on me only twenty minutes after he recovers." Sovak muttered bitterly. "I'm sorry, Commander." He offered without turning to face the man. "She is an intern from Hyper."

"See to it," He said exhaustedly. "He doesn't come in contact with any more Eco while he is under your care, Doctor." He held the ice pack in left hand pressing it firmly to his abused ribs. He glanced to the far side of the room to the blonde boy. His face, neck, and arms were still covered in fresh black and purple bruises earned from the fight with Talis. A man currently in the ICU room three hall down. "Get him a infusion.. He looks like death warmed over." With that he left the room.

Sovak sighed heavily and disappeared through the door after his two nurses leaving the whimpering human and battered elf alone.

~x~

It was the next day that the two were due to be taken out of the Hospital. The guards, however, had yet to arrive. Harry, who had recently regained consciousness after the Green Eco incident, was now propped up against his pillows. A fresh pair of cuffs had been wrapped around his wrists. The doctor, Doctor Sovak, had come by earlier that morning to check the him over. Sovak was surprised, just as Harry was, to see that the bruises he had sustained from the assault had faded. They looked as if they were five days old not a day. What was more surprising was that Harry's side, the bullet wound that been stitched, had gone down in swelling and also looked days old.

Doctor Sovak, far more decent than they were expecting, muttered something about minor exposure and sudden surge healing.

The wizard told the elf about where he came from and Jak did the same. Jak, it seemed, was from a seaside fishermen village called Sandover. How he had found a Rift Ring and crashed into a large city called Haven nearly a month ago. Jak learned, to his disbelief, that Harry's wasn't Precursian… Apparently Earth wasn't even a planet in this solar system…

The one good thing that came out of the whole thing was that they were able to have showers. A luxury that neither of them had experience for awhile. Once they had been allowed to clean themselves, they were given identical navy shirts and white pants.

Jak sat on the edge of his bed, legs cross, and one arm resting on his knee with chin in hand. The other stretched behind him while he pulled at the bronze cuff. "How much longer do you think?"

"I… Kinda hope they don't come." The human admitted with a weary smile.

Jak gave a short laugh and nodded his head in agreement. "This has probably been the best two days I've had in a month."

Harry raised an eyebrow. This? Being chained to your bed for hours on end, guards outside the door, and a camera watching your every move? Jak thinned his lips catching the his look while tapping his fingers along his jaw line.

"It's been a rough month."

"… Yeah… I got that." Harry mumbled.

The red light beside the door turned green and both tensed instantly as guards came into the room. Alec followed a second later slipping a thin keycard into his pocket. Harry found a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips seeing the condition of the Commander's face. Green Eco, as Jak had explained, healed minor wounds instantly. From the fact that Alec's nose was still in a splint, Harry had hit him hard and he thoroughly enjoyed the thought of it takes weeks for it to heal.

"You are coming back with me." He considered Harry with calm eyes, not one bit disdainful of the boy. It only served to make Harry furious. "You are heading back to the holding cell. Take him." He ordered the two guards while directing them towards Jak.

Jak's face grew dark as the men approached, his eyes flashing defiantly. "Co-operate kid," the taller one said, "and you walk out of here with your head held high - not dragged by your hair."

As if losing an internal battle with his pride, Jak allowed them to unlatch him from the bed and bind his hands at his front. He was coaxed out the door by the second guard, but not before he cast Harry a fleeting glance before disappearing down the hall. Harry, still cuffed to his guard rail, twitched nervously as Alec did not make a move to move him. Warily he found himself considering how much he hated the dark haired elf before him. How much he blamed him for everything and all the man could do was wear a indifferent expression.

Harry had no idea of the conflict going on in the man's mind.

Once Alec had removed the cuff, Harry bound and determined to walk on his own, found that his body truly had no love for him. His knees instantly buckled under his weight, sending forward in an awkward stumble. He expected the floor, but found an arm wrapped around his chest. He grunted in pain as Alec's gloved finger dug into the deeply bruised flesh of his upper arm. Harry's eyes snapped to Alec, and for a moment, their eyes met. It unnerved Harry greatly how much the man's eyes reminded him of his old Headmaster and he didn't like it.

Dumbledore had always been a mentor to him, a man he could respect… even for all his faults. He trusted Dumbledore and it had been one of the reason he trusted Alec Vine when he had met him… Because he seemed to be like the elderly wizard. They spoke the same and moved in the same fashion. Alec with more youth than his Headmaster, but it was all eerily the same. Even when angry their voices never raised to a shout, but the danger was still there.

It wasn't right to compare the two. Alec was nothing like Dumbledore.

The Commander placed a thin blue jacket over the cuffed hands of the teenager. "Stay beside me." Ordered Alec while leading Harry into the white and green hallway. He didn't give a response and kept his eyes firmly on the floor. Once in the foyer Harry was forced to squint his eyes against the glare of the tropical sun. The warmth of the day crept along his skin with a intensity he didn't care for.

The area ahead of him once they left the Hospital was circular in appearance. Nearly five hundred yards in both directions, but it was in no means spacious. Buildings rose at his sides while a dirt paths crossed and twisted in front of him. They were made of shaped steel and blue tinted glass that were crafted into shapes he had never seen in human architecture. The paths were full of people; military dressed, men in black, grey suits, others in medical scrubs with white coats, and scientists dressed finely with similar white coats over their shoulders. A single armored soldier had broken off from the rest to head towards them from one of the small buildings.

The teen, who had been staring up at the large blue building to his right, didn't seen the man stop at his side. A hand snapped out to his shoulder jerking him back violently. He glared over his shoulder, but the man wasn't paying attention to hm.

"Take him the Alpha Lab," Alec told the guard wearily, "make sure that the jacket doesn't fall off." He warned the guard lightly. "I don't want unwarranted questions."

The human's heart skipped a beat as soon as the words '_Alpha Lab' _left the Commander's mouth. He was turned abruptly and led toward the aforementioned building. He was being brought back to the table.. to those needles… Time seemed to skip itself as he suddenly found himself standing at the door leading to the Alpha Lab. Scientists impatiently waiting on their test subject. They filled vials full of brown liquid, set monitors, dials, and touch screens that scrawled with tiny runes that made no sense to Harry.

A voice came over the intercom while two men loaded the canisters. They had filled two of eight canisters. It was the first time that Harry ever seen the machine before him; it horrified him. The table set in a chair position, the back brought forward, leather straps hanging from the extended arms. It reminded him of a dead spider with its legs curled inward.

"Up the dose to twenty CCs."

The panic that had been brimming at the edge of his mind now spilled over into his body. Jerking his body backwards, Harry tried to force himself away. It, however, would be a cold day in hell before a scrawny teenager would be able to escape the vice-like grip of two soldiers. The one to his right grabbed both his arms, his legs flailing as they left the ground, and slammed him onto the table. Harry let out a sharp yelp and lay there momentarily dazed while the guards proceeded to pull the straps over his wrists and ankles.

The woman of the crew let out a sigh before reluctantly giving her consent to start the test. She turned to face the brilliantly lit console in front of her. The youngest of the scientists loaded the last of the eight containers into the machine.

"Please…" Came the whispered plea from the human. The woman turned to face him, their eyes meeting for a moment, and she found herself unable to look away. The desperate, scared, _young _face looking back her struck her for a moment. He was at their mercy. Their prisoner to be manipulated in anyway they saw fit.

Her orange eyes gave him pity, but that's all they could spare. "If you stay still… This will hurt… less."

The boy turned away from her, heart racing, and fear gripping him with a new intensity. He should have listened to the warning, but he was far from rational. The sharp stab of the machine made him gasp and cry out. His abused body ached with a fierce pain already, his side screaming in protest while he tried to break the leather, the eight ten-gauge needles digging deeply into his vital veins only added to the pain. The machine hissed above him, the canisters loaded and ready.

Concrete would be the word that Harry would forever use to explain the sensation that exploded in his veins. It was concrete and fire that tore fresh screams from his throat. Nothing like the Cruico… there was no bliss that you could lose yourself too, no. You felt every part of your body, every bone, every muscle, and molecule as they were set on fire.

_Freeze, _burn, _freeze, _pressure, _freeze, _burn.

It was seven minutes in hell. And every second he was wishing, praying, and begging that he would die. That God, who was suppose to be omnipotent, would stop this pain and let him fade away. What had he done in his life to deserve this? What had he done to piss the God off this much...?

_I killed Cedric. _

Just as it came to the breaking point – It stopped. The needles pulled away, the fire died, and the concrete became solid inside of him. He fell back to the table lifelessly with red rimmed eyes, chest heaving for air, and heavy lidded eyes. And yet, he wasn't given the mercy of becoming unconscious. The same phrase repeated in his head.

_I killed Cedric and this is how I'm paying for it… _

The treatment left his skin hypersensitive; a brush of a hand could feel like a punch. Something that would merely given him a light cut would tear his skin like paper. It was the cause of most of the contusions and lacerations he suffered prior to the assault. He gave a small, pitiful whimper while the straps were undone. He tried to crawl away from them, but only fell miserably to the ground, his body screaming. Harry faded in and out as they dragged him through the hallway way towards his cell.

Rolling, yet again, onto the dirty floor Harry' rolled onto his back, eyes clenched shut, and teeth grinding. The pan was still coming in waves, cruel and unrelenting. Horrible sobs of pain and emotion wracked his sore body.

"Harry?" Jak's voice came through as if it was a whisper. The blonde was kneeling beside him, leaning over him and blocking out the green light of the firefly paint. A hand reached to touch his shoulder, but recoiled instantly when Harry moan in pain at the touch. He cast his eyes, half lidded, to see the concerned expression on the elf's face.

Why the hell did he care?

In all his pain he still was able to find himself embarrassed that another, someone close to his age, was seeing him in such a pathetic state. "I… I'll… Okay." Harry lied brokenly.

It didn't fool Jak. To Jak this was a reoccurring nightmare that he couldn't wake up from. He had seen ten, now eleven different faces (some full grown men) laying curled up in a ball writhing, and sobbing in pain and helplessness. Telling him that they would be alright, yet their voices shaking, and shoulders trembling uncontrollably. That he, too, had been here more times than he could count. The feeling of foreign chemicals being injected into you… Changing you forever. It was just as mentally crippling as it was physically.

It was at the moment that Jak made a promise to himself, in some ways a selfish promise, but one that would keep them both alive nonetheless. He would never see another person die for these experiments. He wouldn't allow another cellmate, another soul, to die like the others had. He would do everything it took to make sure that this human, even as fragile as he seemed, wouldn't be the next victim in this weapons race.

Without a warning to the Jak suddenly grabbed Harry's arm. The wizard let out a horrible strangled cry of pain, but Jak only continued to pull it over his shoulder. He seized his belt and pulled him toward the cot. Carefully and as quick as he could Jak placed him down on the bed. The teen bit his lower lip until it bled to stop himself from sobbing.

"Th-Thanks…" He breathed. "I owe you…"

Standing back from the cot the elf was oddly silent. His face was set in a serious expression, eyes narrowed on the floor as if it was the cause of all this. "You don't owe me anything…" He told him eyes still on the ground. "But… Let's make a deal."

Harry cast his eyes to the shadowed form of the elf standing in the middle of the cell. "What?"

The emerald blonde turned his ice-like eyes on the teenager. "Let's make a deal." He repeated. "We aren't going to die here. We'll find a way to make them pay for everything we've had to suffer for." The elf's eyes flared with determination. "We'll get back home… No matter what it will take or what happens." His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. "We'll make it out… _we have too._"

Harry was hopeless, lost, and confidant that he wasn't going to live past the next week. He was a lost cause, a weak runt. Why would Jak, someone who had half a chance, want to tie himself down and probably get himself killed in the process helping a kid he had barely known two days?

He would never be able to understand what drove the rasped word through his chapped lips.

"Deal."


	3. Ripped Stitches

**F/R: **_Sorry chapter two took me so long. With school starting and this being my last year I had to get stuff sorted out… Like my $200 school fees ;_; Also I decided to take 'Creative Writing' (Never taken it before because the teach is a loon) but hey, why not right? Anyway, sorry for any mistakes – I finished this really late last night._

_Writing a Fan fiction, English, Creative Writing, Math, and Law… Can anyone say 'Carpel Tunnel?'_

**Reviewer Response **

**bb-is-the-cutest-ever: **Thank you :D

**The Beckster: **That's good. It's what I'm trying to do. Blarg the missing letters.

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**ALIJJ: **Lol thank you for the review.

**Zephyrus Genesis: **Hope you keep reading :D

* * *

Semi-Automatic

Part I: Misplaced

* * *

**Chapter Three: **_Ripped Stitches_

**Invisera, Januria. 13. 3998**

"_Son of a…" _Jak hissed, his hands flying up to protect his eyes.

Harry cringed as the light hit them in a sudden and unexpected burst. Neither of teens had been prepared for it and Jak, who had been staring at the door, now nursed white spots and watery eyes. He swore vehemently under his breath, using a few terms that Harry had never heard before. It made him smirk only for a second before recognizing the figure in the doorway.

Alec Vine, the Invisera Guard Commander, stood before the two boys. His expression was stern, but passive. Harry remained silent on his cot, Jak standing in the center of the room still cursing under his breath.

"Get up," he ordered Harry, "and come with me."

With a grunt of annoyance, Jak begrudgingly moved forward. His red-rimmed eyes narrowing on the Commander before falling over his shoulder. Harry did not move. He didn't feel the want or the need to. His chest boiled with anger and defiance. At the moment he cared little if the man had his guards drag him from the cell, he simply wanted to _ignore _him.

"Go fu-" Before the young man was able to finish the sentence, Jak's hand flew over Harry's mouth. The younger boy was tempted to bit down, but soon realized why Jak had reacted. The guard that had shot him, Talis if he remembered correctly, stood behind Alec. His face was a mess of bruises, Harry assuming from skirmish, and he held a gun in his hand.

A cold fear swept through Harry and he was on his feet within seconds. Alec's expression didn't change as he turned and gestured for the boys to follow. He marched from the cell, the guards motioning them forward with their guns.

Harry swayed forward as he tried to walk. Jak caught him across the shoulders, supporting him while moving them forward. Harry nodded his head in thanks, glad that Jak was between him and Talis. The pain from his side twisted his stomach and it took everything Harry had not to cry out in pain as the stitches pulled with his movements.

Once they left the front doors Alec decided it was time to give them a overview of their new _'home.'_

Invisera was made up of five individual sectors. The one they were in at the moment was in the center while the four others extended out. It was called Sector 0, but the soldiers referred to it as Central. Unimaginatively named Central Building was also located here, the Hospital, the labs, office buildings, and housing for the Invisrins were all packed into the large sphere shaped sector. This was, as he told them, where the day to day function of the compound was handled.

Pink tinted glass tunnels with the blue entrance doors were the only way to get to any of the other sectors or the underground complex of Invisera. The tunnels were clear and allowed you to either catch a glimpse of Ivory Forest or the Wasteland that Invisera bordered. When they passed into the southern tunnel it was the vast, and barren, expanse of the Wastelands. Harry was taken in by the sheer vastness of the yellow and blue that soared out before him. He had never, in his life, seen a place like this. Jak had no interest in the Wasteland, his mind too focused on other things.

Sector O1, the Training Grounds, was just as large (if not larger) than Central. Unlike Central, however, there was only one building. It was far from the architectural marvel the others had been. The medium sized building was pressed up against the grey walls that ringed Invisera. The roof was bare slanted steel and the walls were just as bare. Several large windows ringed the building with a polished oak porch attached to the front with steps leading up to closed double doors. To the right of the building Harry saw obstacle courses that ranged from moderate to difficult. Gun ranges and other military style training gear that Harry couldn't put a name too.

The tunnel they entered was at the back of the sector and instead of barren desert they were met with the lush jungle. The leaves pressed against the top of the glass, creatures darted between the trees and brush. Harry noted that Jak stared at the jungle with a forlorn look. His lips turned down and he looked as if he had suddenly lost all hope. Harry was reminded of the fondness in Jak's voice when he spoke of his adventures in the 'Forbidden Jungle.'

In the three days that he had known him he had never seen him so… defeated. "Jak?" He asked quietly.

The blonde quickly looked away. "Nothing."

"I'm sure…" Harry responded quietly.

Sector 02 was full of orange tents lined in prefect rows. Among those rows were men and woman dressed in blue shirts and dark green pants with combats. Their talk was quiet with most looking haggard and desperate to get their task done. There were several more buildings in this sector than the last. Alec pointed to each telling them what they were. The showers, separated between men and woman, a larger four level building was where they would be taking their classes. The Mess Hall and then the Armory and Weapons Storage. He didn't bother to tell them what the rest were, mentioning they would find out themselves.

"Those are the Virtual Reality Training Sectors." That was the only information that the Commander offered about the next sectors. Harry rose his eyes over the wall to see two large web-like blue domes. They both spanned three miles in length and at least fifty feet over the already hundred foot concrete wall.

_'Virtual Reality…' _Harry thought, '_This is starting to feel like I'm trapped in a sci-fi novel… All I need is flying cars…'_

They were brought back to Sector 01 and Alec left them momentarily as he went inside the building. The two guards had left them once they came into the sector. It would have been an opportunity to run, but neither were that stupid. The swiveling camera attached to the door of the building had been enough for Harry to toss that idea.

"Don't you think they're a little young, Alec?"

Harry's eyes snapped back to the porch to see that the Commander had returned with another in tow. The elf standing beside him was taller than Alec and considerably thinner. The only thing that stopped him from being considered to have a serious disease was his tanned skin and lean muscle. His face was sharp, like most elves he had seen, and had no facial hair. His expression seemed to be set into a neutral I-Could-Care-Less that Harry had only ever thought Snape could pull off so flawlessly. His hair was a spiked dark silver and his brown eyes were settled firmly on both of them. The way he looked them over both teens felt as if they were being appraised for slaughter.

"Minimum age is seventeen." He reminded the Commander off handily while taking a deep drag of a cigarette burning in his left hand. His right hand was twisting two metal dog tags that hung around his neck.

The Commander growled in annoyance. "I don't question Neverous's orders, _Tomaris._" His voice dripped with warning, "Their age is not important to their training." He turned his back to the man. "They're your problem now."

The man rolled his eyes to the Commander's back. "Alright, alright, calm down. Uncuff the boys and I'll take them to the others, _Commander._" He cast them a grin that made the phrase '_Out of the frying pan and into the fire' _come to mind. "Welcome to Hell Week."

~x~

"What've I got here?" Inquired a purple haired man, his eyes traveling down a digital version of a clipboard. He pressed a finger to the screen dragging it down to scroll through the names. The man was wearing a blue military jacket with his rank on his shoulder flashes. A black shirt with the insignia of the Guard on it and black pants over the standard issued metal-plated combat boots. He walked off the dais where his Sergeants stood and into the rows of trainees. The twenty-five lines of three spread out in front of the wooden dais with feet shoulder width a part and hands grasped behind their backs. As he came up to a trainee he tapped their name. A mug shot came up along with their details. He considered them for a moment before moving to the next.

Harry was standing near the middle of the large division with Jak to his right. Harry silently prayed that the man would just pass him by. He should have learned that Lady Luck was laughing at him by now.

The purple haired man stopped directly in front of him."A human." He his voice, like all the others, held disbelief.

In a collective motion everyone turned their eyes to him.

"Never thought I'd see one in my life time." He trailed off shaking his head. The smell coming off the man made Harry want to choke. It was a thick combination of tobacco, alcohol, and disgusting cologne. He swallowed the urge to gag and was more than relieved when he moved to Jak. He scrolled and tapped on what Harry assumed to be Jak's name and a grin broke out on his face.

"Only one this time?" He chuckled raising an eyebrow at Jak. "He's using younger and younger it seems. Got standards for you, Kid." He told him with a laugh. "Your… _kind _usually do well during Hell Week."

When he was finished with Jak, who was left scowling at his feet, he came to the end of their line. It was a young woman with brown hair. In the seventy-five people that they had fallen in line with on Tomaris's order there were only six woman. The man finished his assessment of their ranks and turned to head back up to the dais. He handed the device off to one of the men standing there and turned to face them with an oddly cruel smile on his face.

"Welcome to Invisera, Cadets. I am Sergeant. Cassin Del. I am in charge of your first year of training. The Lieutenant General has you for your last year. If you make it past me," He added as an after thought. To Harry the man seemed to have a southern accent akin to a business partner that his Uncle had invited for dinner in his pre-Hogwarts days. "These walls are your new home for the next two years." He paused. "You've all be pre-tested and proven physically and mentally strong enough to attend Hell Week." Sergeant. Del gave them a lopsided smirk. "Which means very little. A lot of idiots make it past the first test."

Harry closed his eyes briefly. The man's voice fading for a moment as his own thoughts took over. He had found himself in this situation because of his own stupidity, now he wondered if it was going to get him killed.

"… I've noticed we have a few females joining us this year," Del's eyes didn't move to them as he went on, "don't expect any of the luxuries you are used to at home. Here you will wake up, eat, train, and most of the time have dinner." His voice dropped to a more serious manner. "We are going to push you to your limit and beyond that. You will learn to survive in the harshest environments, fight, and kill without a second hesitation."

Harry felt his hands start to shake with the weight of the sergeant's words.

"You'll be tested again and again to see if you are worthy of being here." He glared at them all. His voice was as serious as it was arrogant. "Improvise, adapt, and overcome any situation that we throw at you. By the end of these all you will no longer be helpless whelps, but soldiers."

He began to walk to the back and forth the width of the dais. "Men and woman who graduate from this facility are feared and respected. Only the best make it." His eyes narrowed as his voice dropped to a whisper. "Remember, you all signed onto this."

Harry could feel the excitement that his speech had driven out of the elves around him. The only emotion that Harry could manage was dread.

_'I'm screwed.'_

"Every three lines will be given a number. This number will be your over all group you are assigned to until the end of your training." The sergeant's had turned around to grab large bags of folded clothing and boots. The line in front of him, his own, and the one behind were now officially Group Nine.

"Oh," he said suddenly, "Misconduct or attempts to escape..." he looked pointedly toward Jak, "will be either discharged immediately or handled severally." He paused to let the words sink in. "Expect to leave here with a few scars. This is Invisera, after all."

Sergeant Cassin Del went on with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Change out of your old clothes and into your uniforms. There is no room for modesty here." He turned around to take back the device with their names and photos in it from a sergeant behind him. On cue the men behind him moved forward with items of clothing in their hands. Some handed out shirts others pants or shoes to the lines. Another was traveling around with a garage can to collect their discarded clothing. Jak cast Harry an uneasy look before reaching to pull the navy blue shirt over his head. Harry just shook his head caught somewhere between fear and disbelief. His side, arms, chest, and lower back ached painfully at the motion. The bruises hadn't healed and the large bandage covering the bullet wound glared brilliantly in the glaring sun.

He quickly replaced it with a tight dark blue muscle shirt with a large printed nine on the back. He slipped on the white and black camouflage-print pants while buckling what he assumed to be a black leather belt. He knelt down to buckle the mid-calf high metal-plated combats and earned a groan of protest from both his side and back.

When they all had finished ridden themselves of their possessions, Cassin Del shouted out. "Three to a tent!"

Jumping to the sudden and sharp command they took the offered equipment at the base of dais. They, in a large group, headed back to Sector 02. No one spoke as they made the short pilgrimage to the sector. Harry was focused on the buckles of his boots, Jak on the jungle outside the tunnel, and the others on their own problems. Once they came into the field that Jak and Harry had witnessed what they now realized to be Invisrin trainees taking down their tents. Glancing to his right he saw that they had been relocated to another side of the sector. Jak and the girl set to work on the tent immediately, Harry following whispered instructions from Jak. His childhood had not been full of family camping trips. Once the work had been finished they gathered the orange mats to carry inside.

The wizard cast his emerald eyes up to the fire lit sky and closed his eyes with a sigh. This was just the beginning of a roller coaster ride that he couldn't get off.

"Get to bed!" Shouted a sergeant a few rows back. The girl slipped into the tent, then Harry, followed by Jak. They laid down their mats in a row. The girl at the far end, Harry in the middle, and Jak at the opposite end. The girl rolled to have her back facing both of the teens. Harry cast Jak a helpless look that he mirrored before laying on the flat of his back to stare up at the sloped ceiling of the tent.

_'How am I going to do this?'_

Harry lay down on his uninjured side and closed his eyes suddenly exhausted.

_'I've never been soldier material.'_

~x~

**Invisera, Januria. 14. 3998**

Harry's bruised fingers grazed the coarse gauze. The rough texture biting into the raw and tender flesh of his finger tips. The only sounds audible from outside the cramped tent were the melodic songs the tropical birds sung in anticipation of the sun; these seemed to sing together perfectly. They sang low to high in a tune that seemed to be practiced. It reminded the youth strongly of the phoenix that belonged to his elderly Headmaster.

The memory of his second year flooded back to him. Walking into the office of Albus Dumbledore to be greeted by the Headmaster's pet. It was that same phoenix that had come from him and Ginny in the chamber. The same one that saved his life from the basilisk venom and carried them free of the depths of the castle.

_'Fawks isn't going to magical appear,' _Harry thought scathingly. '_I'm on my own…' _

'_We'll make it out… We have too.' _Jak was determined as he said it, but Harry's doubt prevented from being comforted in the thought that they might. He didn't even know if he wanted to.

A sharp, loud, buzzing erupted somewhere in the distance making Harry leap from his skin. His hand shot out groping helplessly for his glasses. His hand clenched the thin frames and shoved them onto his nose hastily. He let out a groan realizing that the night had long since. The alarm must have been the wake up call. This was confirmed by the large shadows that passed the tent shouting 'Wake up' only minutes later. Slowly Harry sat up with a grunt. His ribs gave a painful protest while his bullet wound sent tendrils of dull pain up his side. He hissed lowly while wrapping his arms around his chest.

Jak, finally woken by the shouting and alarm, sat forward with a yawn. He ran a hand through his hair blearily. As soon as he noticed the youth hunched over in pain and emitting a low groan he was on his knees beside the teenager. "Harry - " He started quietly, voice full of concern.

After a moment Harry was able to wave his hand dismissively. "I'm alright…" He muttered. "I'll be alright." It was very clear that Jak didn't believe him, but decided to leave him at his word. Harry cast his eyes toward the third occupant of their tent. The young woman was already awake, tying her hair in a hasty ponytail, and exiting the tent. She didn't spare a word to her two teammates the entire time. Jak and Harry shared a glance, but Jak shrugged his shoulders and followed after the woman. Frankly, Harry realized, their teammate had been all but ignoring their existence since yesterday afternoon.

The sun had yet to rise over the horizon when the entire encampment had climbed out of their respective tents. The grass was still covered in a thin layer of morning fog, dew, and clusters of fireflies dancing obliviously around them. They were met with the cold, crisp pre-dawn air of the Ivory Jungle. The mist left a devastatingly cold kiss on their exposed arms and necks. Most rubbed their arms for sparing warmth while watching sergeants forcibly remove any stragglers.

He watched as the seventy-five soon-to-be-soldiers stretching out their stiffness. Jak and Ava did the same and Harry didn't dare. He had slept in a cupboard for the first eleven years of his life. He could deal with a bit of stiffness. Being shot, however, wasn't exactly something you could get used to quickly.

The brunette, satisfied with her now loose limbs, began to walk away from the two. Her destination the large building at the back of the sector. The wizard caught up the elf easily enough and fell into step silently. The rest had also started the short pilgrimage toward the Mess Hall. A small smirk crossed Harry's face as it seemed that Jak was unable to stop yawning.

"_Damn…_" He muttered after the fourth time. "Why the hell am I so tired?"

Harry gave him a lopsided smile. He, however, noticed two sergeants walking rather close behind them. They were at a cautious distant behind them, but close none the less. They certainly weren't trying to hide their intentions as Harry met the eyes of one. He quickly looked away while elbowing the blonde, when Jak looked back he jerked his head sharply behind him.

Jak's eyes slanted over his shoulder to take notice of the two. One threw him a large grin and winked, the second letting out a snort of amusement. Jak turned his head back to the ground in front of him with a dark frown. "Probably to make sure we don't say the wrong thing."

"That is what I thought…" He nodded grimly.

Once they entered the Mess Harry had to let out a quiet whistle. From the outside it did not look like it could fit more then perhaps a hundred people. Once inside, however, he was proven very wrong. Rows upon rows of metal tables were bolted to the floor with benches on either side. The space between tables was just enough for one person to walk through. The back was lined with cafeteria-style food stalls complete with men and woman serving out the portions to the line that had started. The over all look of the Mess Hall was dull and depressing. It defiantly had nothing on the grand Great Hall of Hogwarts.

_'Because I expected it to be…' _Harry rolled his eyes. The two joined the queue for food behind the brown haired member of their group. Once again, she didn't spare a glance at either of them.

The food, if you could call it that, consisted of creamy semi-translucent chunky oatmeal. The two took in the hall for a moment before Harry pointed out a table that wasn't already full with their fellow trainees. It had filled up pretty quickly leaving only a table in the middle of them to sit comfortably. Harry sat down beside a dark grey haired elf in a hushed conversation with sandy haired elf. Jak choose a spot across him and swung his legs over to the bench. After a silent moment the brown haired elf joined them. She sat down on the still open spot beside Harry as both spots beside Jak were almost instantly filled.

A quiet rumbled of talk erupted from the middle of the hall to extend outward. Every time Harry dared to glance around someone was staring at him. They would turn back to their neighbor almost immediately, but some of the more confidents ones continued until they sated their curiosity. Harry took in strides. Out of all of it… It was something he knew he could deal with it easily. He looked up to Jak for a moment to see that his eyes were firmly set over his shoulder.

It was then that he realized that the two sergeants that had been walking behind them were now sitting behind them. Several other sergeants were also sitting at the table behind them. They were distinguishable by the outfit they wore.

"Well…" He said resigned. "It's to be expected."

The brown haired elf cast him a curious look, but decided against questioning him about it. Harry and Jak knew that it was going to be a long time before any of the staff trusted them enough to leave them be. Looking down at his meal he lifted the spoon free of the glop. "Wow…" He muttered in disgust as the oatmeal merely stuck to the spoon.

The third member of their group looked just as disgusted by the food as Harry was. Harry noted it was a very common look among the first year participants. The second years and sergeants seemed barely fazed by the oatmeal before them. They carried on causal conversation while spooning the wickedly nauseating substance into their mouths without hesitation.

"I doubt it can taste as bad as it smells." Jak commented wrinkling his nose.

_Must be bad, _Harry smirked to himself. '_If someone who's been in prison is disturbed by it.' _If this food there, by any stretch of the imagination, was better than this – It was saying something.

Having adapted the 'eat what little you can get' while living in the Dursley household Harry decided to take the first bite out of the first years. The first years sitting at the table beside him watched mildly disgusted and curious. The human swallowed hard forcing back the instant urge to be sick. The oatmeal was somehow salty, bitter, sweet, mushy, and crunchy all at the same time. It made his eyes water and his face turn a lovely shade of green. He placed his fist to his mouth as he coughed harshly and grabbed desperately for the water that the dark grey haired elf offered him with a bemused smile.

"You," He choked. "Wanna bet?"

There was uncomfortable silence between the three as they started in on their first Invisera meal. Harry's eyes fell on the girl sitting beside him. She was no older than seventeen, the minimal age of the program. The roots of her hair, he noticed, were a deep shade of brown before dying out into a lighter shade of chestnut. Her eyes were a deep topaz color that Harry had only ever seen on the fully transformed werewolf Remus Lupin in his third year. Harry reminded himself he had seen a woman with pink eyes and the teenager sitting across him had green in his hair.

"Are you related to someone in the Krimzon Guard?" Jak suddenly asked her with a calculating look. His spoon inches from his mouth.

The seventeen year old raised both eyebrows for a moment. "No." She finally answered after a moment. "Why do you ask?"

He immediately looked back to his half empty bowl. "No reason." He cast his eyes up again. "My name is Jak."

"Ava," She nodded to him. "And you?" At that moment she had turned to Harry who had just spooned the last bit of the oatmeal into his mouth. Swallowing hard with a hand covering his mouth he coughed out.

"Name is Harry."

Ava, as her name was, put her utensil back into the bowl. She leaned on crossed arms to scrutinize the dark haired boy. "You have an odd accent," She didn't make a further comment while flashing her eyes between them. "So, which one of the Guards are you training for?"

Harry didn't miss a beat. "Invisrin."

The blonde of the three spoke slowly so his tone did not betray him. "The Krimzon." Harry could see the strain and irate twitch. Harry surmised he was probably thinking something on the lines of '_when hell freezes over.' _

Ava pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear and gave forced smile. "I'm joining the K.G, also." Scanning the two of them for a moment she said. "I never saw you at the exam." She placed the final bit of her meal and chewed absently waiting for an answer.

Jak was at a loss for and explanation he opened his mouth and then closed it doing his best impression of a fish out of water. It was painfully apparent Jak was a poor liar. Harry cleared his throat and drew Ava's attention to him. His years of sneaking around with Ron and Hermione after hours began to pay off. "We came here earlier in the week. We already took the exam when we arrived." He lied smoothly.

"Really?" Questioned Ava.

The channeler across the table nodded almost too eagerly.

Harry narrowed his eyes on the elf while the girl's attention was drawn away and shook his head. He immediately went back to his breakfast without another word. Before the brunette could ask anymore of the questions the speakers overhead came to life.

"_All first year trainees head to the Endurance Course. Second years head to your group instructor for details on your new assignments." _

The trio rose from the bench with the rest just as a sergeant yelled from the door. "First years this way!"

He waved them over impatiently while seventy-five men and woman picked themselves out of the two hundred occupants of the Mess Hall. Harry, Jak, and Ava stuck close to each other while working the tight path out of the double doors of the hall. Once the group was collected and the sergeant had done a quick head count, they set off to the first day of Hell Week.

~x~

"Four laps – Go!" A tall sergeant with a cold stare yelled with a demanding crack of leather whip. The entire group lurched forward to the first obstacle nearly a half mile ahead of them. About two-percent of the group rushed forward with everything they had while the rest going as slow as they dared on the first lap.

Hell Week, as the sergeant had explained, was the term the used to describe the physical training. It was a week full of pure physical hell. It was, unofficially, the week that the weakest and undetermined fell short and left. He had expressed serious doubts that the entire seventy-five would make it through the week.

At his full he could have completed the circuit before falling lifelessly on the ground – But he was recovering from being shot, Green Eco poisoning, and the after effects of the injection. He doubted he'd make the first two.

"Keep up." Ordered Ava once Harry had fallen a couple meters behind.

He gave her a breathless nod before pushing himself to keep pace with the two elves. His side started to ache with a new intensity. His ribs jolting with each step he took. The blonde turned his head back to Harry, his eyes showing his sympathy. He slowed himself to fall in step with Harry as he ground his teeth in agony.

"Just keep running," Jak urged.

"Yeah.." Harry answered with a hiss. "I am trying…"

The first challenge they came to was a web of dangerously sharp and low barbwire. Ava was keeping a few strides ahead of Harry while Jak was only one behind to urge him a long. They had yet to place last in the group, but they were close to it. They skid to a halt at the entrance, and like most, nearly fell in the slick mud under their feet. Ava dropped first and began to crawl after the blue haired man. Harry dropped to his hands and knees and slipped under the wire, Jak close behind. He came out of the web with several lacerations to his arms, shoulders, and the back of his calves. Harry dashed, alongside Ava, to the next challenge just feet from the razor wire.

"Faster!" Shouted a sergeant from the side lines. A loud crack of close to Harry's ears caused him to wince and twist to the side. Blistering pain burst from his stomach, but he ignored it. Breathless he pulled up beside the brunette at a large concrete wall. Harry, used to using chain link fences as an easy escape from his cousin, found a no grip wall a problem. His lungs burned, the gashes stung from the mud, and his side screamed. He got to one knee, ignoring his ribs, and interlocked his fingers in front of him. The wall was seven feet tall, easy enough with a boost.

"You helped me," he reminded a hesitant Jak, "now I help you. We made a deal, right?"

Jak nodded reluctantly and stepped onto Harry's hands. Harry grunted as he pushed with everything he had. Jak wasn't a heavy person, but he had weight on Harry. The elf caught the edge and pulled himself up. Harry looked expectantly to Ava and gestured for her to go. Others around were following Harry's example lending a hand to their sub-group members while being hauled up afterword. "Are you going or what?"

Ava repeated Jak's action and took the blonde's offered hand once with in reach. She crawled over and waited patiently for the third member. Jak leaned sideways to extend his hand down to Harry. The teen immediately noticed that his own arm length came a good three inches short of Jak's hand. He inwardly swore before taking a couple steps back. Jak seemed to realize what he intended and braced his thighs tightly to the wall. He tensed his shoulder as Harry took a running start at the wall. He used it as the leverage he needed and caught his wrist. Jak gave a soundless grunt as his shoulder gave a wicked jerk. Ava grabbed the back of Harry's shirt and pulled him up.

He gave them a thankful nod before lunging to the ground. They landed, Ava nearly slipping in the mud, and took off. They were covered head to toe in a thick combination of mud and blood. Harry slipped several times while scrambling to catch up.. Once they cleared the cliff they began the two kilometer run towards the finish. He was lagging behind Ava and Jak was still at his side muttering for him to keep going. He placed a hand to his side with effort and then released it pushing his legs to keep going.

"Pick it up!" A sergeant demanded from his left. Harry passed only two feet from the sergeant as he cracked the whip. Harry's automatic reaction was to duck and the whip hit thin air over his back. Another crack caught Jak clear across the shoulder.

The teen stumbled forward as the unexpected pain burst from his shoulder. He didn't see the whip coming or realized Harry had slipped under at the last second. He stared at the man with momentary disbelief before it turned into a snarl. Harry grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the sergeant who grinned maliciously at them. If Jak had stayed much longer he would have received more than a accidental shot to the shoulder.

The sergeant laughed. "Better pick up the pace, Blondie. You'll be out by tomorrow if you keep behind like this." He winked at Jak and gave another warning crack that nearly hit a young man who dove into the mud to dodge it.

The fifteen year old glared darkly and Ava shouted. "Focus!"

Harry muttered breathless. "Hate him later… We've got to make it through the lap."

It seemed their slow pace eventually turned in their favor. The mass of the group had started off pushing themselves to at least stay ahead of Ava who had run a decent speed the entire circuit. Jak had stayed with Harry the entire time and Ava only a few strides ahead in the last two. Their pace had allowed them to finish second, each nearly collapsing as they finished the fourth lap. Jak relished in the sour look on the sergeant's face. He gave the sergeant a triumphant smirk through his gasps for air.

The wizard tiredly dragged his arm across his forehead. He stood doubled over beside Ava feeling as if he was going to be sick all over again. His chest burned, legs shook, muscles clenched, and his ribs screaming injustice.

"You did well." Ava offered an exhausted smile to Jak. He barely took the compliment as he watched Harry with a worried expression. He had a deep gouge in his shoulder and gashes from the wire web, but he was still not bleeding as heavily as the human. Before he was able to decide if Harry had ripped the stitches or not two sergeants came over to them. "Groups one to thirteen head to first day training. The rest of you head back to your tents for your rest period."

Harry let out a pitiful moan.

Their rest period came nearly five hours later. Every muscle in their bodies ached with a new and agonizing intensity. Harry collapsed onto his thin mat as he entered. He had no idea that the human body could hurt so much and still function. Parts he didn't know existed stung and throbbed dangerously.

"Precursors…" Swore the Ava as she rolled her shoulders.

Harry cast his eyes to Jak was equally exhausted. "Religious figures." He barely mumbled falling down onto his own cot with a groan.

The wizard just nodded, too tired to care. "I see…" Moving his legs into a more comfortable position caused sharp pain to shoot into his thighs and lower back. "Bloody hell!" He cursed.

Ava smirked shaking her head. "It is only going to get harder from here on out."

Jak let out a miserable groan running a hand down his face. "You have to be kidding me!" He practically shouted at the roof of their tent.

Harry, however, saw this comment in a different light. "You seem… To know a lot."

The brunette thinned her lips knitting her eyebrows together. It was as if Harry had accidently tred on thin ice. "I've known people who have come through here…" She answered at length.

Just as Harry conceived another question that would have led him into unknown waters a sharp order issued from outside their tent. "Potter! Up front and center."

Neither Jak or Harry took this to be a good omen. Emerald met cerulean for a moment before Harry pushed the flap aside to crawl out. The man named Tomaris was impatiently waiting for the teenager while he struggled to stand. He had yet another cigarette in his mouth and blew a thick cloud of smoke into the teen's face. Harry resisted the urge to wave away the smoke as he started to cough. Tomaris smirked at the distressed look on his face. He abruptly turned away from the teen and motioned for Harry to follow him. "Follow quietly," He told him. "I don't have time to babysit."

Harry grimaced, but reluctantly began to follow. Once they exited the tunnel two guards were waiting for them. They seized his arms roughly taking Harry by surprise. They pulled him forward with ease and the realization came like a brick to the face.

The injection…

"You'd better start showing some potential." Tomaris spoke with his back to Harry. He took a long drag of his cigarette. "Or I promise you won't make it past a month. Frankly," He snorted. "I don't expect you to."

The bot bit the inside of his cheek to keep from offering exactly where he could shove his opinion.

Suddenly one of the guards holding his arm stopped. Harry cast his eyes to the man to see that he was staring at his mud covered side. Without warning the man grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled up. Harry let out a yelp as the last of his stitches came off with a distinctive ripping sound. The wound was completely exposed, open, and started to bleed furiously. Instantly his head became light and bile splashed into his throat.

"Sir," The guard turned his head to Tomaris. "He has ripped his stitches. He's been bleeding for some time by the look of his shirt."

Tomaris was beside the guard while Harry was silently thankful for the solid grip of the second soldier. It was the only thing that kept the young man from meeting the ground. The look in Tomaris's eyes showed no sympathy, but mild surprise. "I'll have one of the 'Coats come look at him after the injection."

The guard didn't look impressed, but decided against voicing his opinion.

"You might not be as hopeless as I originally thought."

~x~

Harry, barely conscious, crawled back into his tent. He never thought he would be so excited to see the thin mattress more than he was at that moment. He ignored the other occupants to focus solely on falling face first into the make-shift bed. He let out a loud, long groan that was muffled by the material. His head pulsed with a never ending headache, his body was on fire, and he swore his lungs had been hit by a shrinking spell.

"Harry?" Came a quiet question.

A hoarse. 'Yeah' could be heard despite the fact he was speaking into the mattress.

"What the hell –" Started Ava confused.

"Nothing." Jak's answer was too quick.

Ava, it seemed, wasn't going to accept some half-assed attempt to lie. Her voice came out in a harsh demanding tone. "That doesn't look like '_Nothing_."

Calmly Jak spoke. "Being a human…" He trailed off for a moment. "He has attacks when he goes near Eco." Another pause. "This place is full of it… Hence the attacks." It wasn't a complete lie.

Ava seemed to accept this answer. "… Fine. I'm going to have a shower before the period ends."

Harry, at this time, had opened his eyes to at the sound of the flap rustling as Ava left. Jak watched her go with a mixture of annoyance and guilt. It was more than obvious that Jak was not the person to enjoy lying through his teeth – Not even to strangers. He sighed heavily and cast his eyes to the roof of the tent shaking his head.

"N-Nice one." Harry responded pressing the right side of his face into the cool material of his mattress.

The elf's eyes narrowed on him for a moment. "What could I say?" He asked Harry through clenched teeth. "Oh yeah… It's just some genetically altering experimentation to turn him into a super-soldier. I'm going through the same thing, 'cept I get a year break for a year while I'm forced to train here?"

Harry only stared at him.

"Obviously not."


	4. Six Hundred and Seventy Two

**Faithless: **_Thank you too Belladona Goddess Chloe, Salamander Hanzo, and The Beckster (Sp?) for reviewing. Okay… For some weird reason everything was tossed to the side in the last chapter. Thanks to DemuthzHP for telling me but that's it how the document is saving ^.^;_

_I've cut the original chapter four into two chapters. Just so ya know, lol. I tried to keep Jak his island-self, after all – it's only been two months. You see minor changes, but not too much. I hope I played it right : )_

* * *

Semi-Automatic

Part I: Misplaced

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**Chapter Four:**_ Six Hundred and Seventy-Two_

_**Invisera, Febauria. 13. 3998**_

The days fell into a routine. Training, classes, and experiments coordinated flawlessly into a near prefect system with a near prefect cover. He's human, they would say, he has reactions like this because of it. It will fade with time. He'll get used to it. Remember, he signed up for this… He'll change over time.

They were broken excuses tied together to string about those who didn't need to know. Those who didn't have the clearance or the capacity to understand what they were doing.

And changes were happening

There weren't many, but they were there. Nothing to the naked eye, yet he felt and saw them clearly. The physical fitness the circuits demanded left the human with decent, and growing, strength and endurance. It was lacking in comparison with cadets in his year, but he was no longer scraping by.

No, the changes weren't so clear cut.

It would come in waves and disappear as suddenly, but they was there. As time went on they were there with more consistency.

The first time had noticed it was in the middle of the night, when most had fallen asleep, he could clearly hear the whispering voices of trainees in tents rows away. Every word they spoke and even their breathing sounded as if he was inside their tent. The orders of sergeants, ones he had strained to hear in the beginning, were now clear as if they had been spoken directly to him from clear across the field. The calls of the morning birds were like spikes through his head and the morning alarm threatened to make him deaf. The second, perhaps the most hair raising one, was the mild sixth sense. Suddenly becoming so aware of those around him one moment to barely register when someone was talking to him the next left him disorientated at times.

These new abilities, as mild and sporadic as they were, came in useful. There were still many things that held Harry under the bar and behind the others when it came to training. They had assumed, since he spoke their language, that he would know the same alphabet. Unlike his own written language, Precursian, as they called it, was lettered with twenty-five complex rune-like characters. None of which made any sense to the young wizard. He had barely scrapped by in Ancient Runes each year he took it.

Barely being able to read their symbols had slaughtered his chances of excelling in the classes that didn't demand physical prowess. He barely stumbled through written work, exams, and memorization with Jak translating under his breath beside him.

Lacking the ability to read, his new abilities had barely saved him during his first trip to the VR Sector. Their mission had been simple to anyone but the human. They were to find pieces of encoded messages hidden through out the virtual landscape; a virtual version of the Ivory Jungle in the dead of night. Harry had been blown away by how real it seemed without there being a trace of magic tied to it. Unfortunately, the guns were as real as the trees and grass felt. Splitting up would have been the strategy of choice, it was what most had done. Ava and Jak, knowing that Harry wasn't able to decipher the codes, had agreed on staying together as their strategy.

However, while inside, their team had been split. Left alone, Harry didn't have the luxury have understanding the coded messages. They told the holder where the turrets were hidden and the location of next script. His enhanced hearing had allowed him to hear the guns whirring beneath the ground. It required him to stop and listen intently, but he had gotten through with only minor injury. His extra sense had allowed him to duck off into a brush when another trainee, not in his own sub-group, came into the same area without relying solely on sight. He had walked away from that experience accepting the changes with appreciation and fear.

What else was going to change, he had asked himself, and could he handle the price he was paying?

In weeks after the VR Harry and Jak had become something akin to a friend to their third member. Ava never asked again why Harry came back from Central looking as if he gone a few rounds with a sergeant or two. She eventually grew less guarded around them and talked openly to both. It was a decent change from the she-elf completely ignoring their existence. It definitly made team orientated exercises easier to accomplish. Ava, as Harry realized, was a natural born solider and in no way a pacifist. Words, she had said, weren't meant for the battle field. You couldn't reason with a Metal Head. Kill it before it kills you; it was her mantra.

Jak had become what Harry would imagine an overprotective elder brother would be like. He was there almost constantly to make sure that nothing happened while barely paying attention to his own safety. He, unlike Ava, would rather use his words than his fists in a battle. It had lead to a heated argument between the two that Harry wisely watched from the sidelines. Harry had noted that Jak was, despite having been in prison, rather naïve. It wasn't painfully obvious, but sometimes the things he said threw Harry at how innocent it sounded.

The human wasn't stupid enough to believe that either of them were going to remain the way they were now. Their habits, their outlooks, they themselves would change. He had seen it first hand on the face of his godfather.

How many more months, maybe days, would Harry stay Harry? And what would he be when this was all said and done?

The thought terrified him.

"… Hey, Harry?" A hand suddenly waved itself in front of his face. He came back to reality with a snap and cast his eyes towards the speaker. The hand belonged to Ava who gave him a lopsided smirk while dropping her hand back to the table. "You zoned again."

Apparently it had been happening a lot lately. "Uh, sure… What is it?"

Jak, who was sitting beside him, jabbed his elbow roughly into Harry's side. He scowled at the fifteen year old, but he ignored him to incline his head towards guards sitting at a nearby table. Both Ava and Harry chanced a glance over their shoulders to see what the elf had. The guards were talking in undertones and exchanging slips of paper attached to bags of what could only be Precursor Orbs or 'Orbs' for short. The elfin currency.

"I bet he won't make it through the first round." Harry caught as he turned back to his breakfast.

Jak cast him a curious look as Harry scowled down into his half empty bowel. "What did he say?" He questioned still facing the guards.

"Nothing new…" Harry muttered stabbing at cluster of chunks in his oatmeal. He was at the bottom of all his classes where as Ava was at the top and Jak somewhere in the middle. It wasn't a surprise that the men would assume, and be quite certain, that he'd fail at something. After all, it seemed that is what he specialized in.

"For the fights." Ava concluded dropping her spoon back in her bowel with a clang that made Harry wince.

The emerald blonde turned back to face the young woman with her arms crossed underneath her while leaning forward. "Fights?" He tilted his head to the side curiously.

The elfin female gave them both a small smirk before explaining. "They are evaluations on our progress in the training program. It's one of the rare times we get to relax, slightly, and are mixed with second years." She paused looking thoughtful. "I thought they were held after two months…"

Harry snorted. "Relax? Here? Yeah right."

Jak gave an agreeing nod. "When are they happening?"

Ava cast her light eyes to the digital clock over the entrance to the Mess. "In ten minutes." She stood up motioning them to follow her. "Let's get down to the Arena." Half of the Mess hall was already heading out the doors as she said this. "They probably have it set up already."

By the time the trio reached the Arena the bleachers were already half filled. None of the first years had seen the Arena before. It was, as Harry had been told by a dark haired second year when he voiced his confusion, a battle arena set on terraformers. Terraformers, as he had learned in one of his classes, was a compact structure technology able to transform upon resetting. The hexagon ring was surrounded by rows and rows of bleachers that extended at least fifty feet into the air. Each side was shielded by a large window like screen glowing blue at a set rhythm. Blue sparks danced across the walls and lashed out whenever a person got to close. Harry assumed they were Eco-Shields, the very technology he had been introduced to the day before.

Once they had gotten their seats near the front the first fight had already started. A female first year from Group Ten slipped through a small opening in the wall that closed immediately after she passed through. The sergeant just outside the door pressed a small orange button on the terraformer's base and the shield's light increased in intensity.

At the left side of the arena a large section of the floor sank in and slid under another panel. A deep growling came from the depths of the hole. A large creature came lumbering out soon after and Harry's jaw hit the floor. The creature stood on its hind legs with a semi-humanoid form. Its body was covered in the bone armor plating that gave the creatures their name. A yellow gem rested in the creature's chest glowing intensely. Its hands reminded Harry strongly of the hands of the mermaids he had seen in the lake during his second task. "What the hell is that?" He blurted out.

Ava cast him a disbelieving look. "A Metal Head… They're the leading cause of war in Haven City. Ivory Jungle doesn't have many of them, but the ones we do have are like that." She pointed to the large creature as it roared angrily at the first year.

"So… That is what they were…" Muttered Harry remembering the creatures who had attacked him in the jungle.

Jak, who was on his other side with his chin in palm, commented. "A large ass Metal Head."

The seventeen year old chuckled. "You've never seen a Wasteland Metal Head have you?"

The two boys shook their head in unison.

The girl shrugged her shoulder and turned back to the fight. "You're lucky then."

The crowd started to cheer as the woman began her fight with the Metal Head. The elf was no older than twenty-one maybe younger. Ava and the woman were the only two remaining after their number had dropped from the seventies to fifties in Hell Week. She held up her end valiantly through most of the fight, but was done in by a massive swing of the creature's large flipper like hands. To the defense of the woman the three first years after her also lost with a lot less effort by the creature to do them in. After the third was taken clear of the ring Harry started to pity the soldiers forced to face the thing. Its yellow eyes held a triumphant gleam as the next trainee came into the ring.

The fourth was a second year Invisrin. He held himself confidently and grinned at the creature as he moved close to it. The man held a cocky smile as he dodged the first attempt by the creature. The creature soon grew frustrated with its new prey and extended its arms away from protecting its middle. That's when he struck. The man lunged forward barreling into the creaturea nd sent them both to the ground. He grabbed the yellow gem implanted in the creatures chest and pulled. With a sucking noise, a sickening squelch, and anguish filled roar it came free. Immediately the creature's thrashing stopped and the glow of its eyes faded.

He stood back from the creature; shirt covered in purple blood and tossed the gem from hand to hand with a triumphant grin. The stands erupted in a deafening roar and clapped approvingly as he tucked the gem under his arm and held up a hand in victory. He walked out of the arena just as the beast burst into purple sparks. The sparks hovered in the air for a moment before lurching towards the shield. More than one person in the front row were taken back as they sparks hit the shield and were absorbed directly in front of the trio.

Ava and Harry gave Jak alarmed looks as he had leapt back onto the bench above theirs when the sparks came at the shield. There was a pause as Jak stared in fear then relief as they were absorbed. He mumbled an apology to the Invisrin he had practically barreled over in the action. He slunk back into his seat between Harry and Ava.

"Jak…" He whispered once Ava's attention was drawn by a cadet beside her.

"That was Dark Eco…" He spoke as if he was uttering something appalling. "I… I think it was drawn to me."

"Ah…" Was all Harry said before turning back to the now empty arena. Sometimes he had to remind himself that Jak, before coming here, was in a situation exactly like his.

"Group Nine… Member three." Called out one of the sergeants reading off an electronic clipboard. He adjusted his black sunglasses while scanning the crowd for the next contestant.

Ava and Jak, along with the rest of the first years, cast their eyes on Harry. He let out a miserable sigh as he stood from the bench. He heard Ava mutter her good luck and Jak gave him a reassuring look with slight pity. Approaching the entrance, the floor coated with purple blood, he tried vainly to imagine himself walking out this same entrance unscathed. The only images that came to mind involved crushed bones, blood, stretchers, and a black body bag. He had no allusions that he was coming out of this arena with his held high like the second year before him.

The terraformer operator, standing to the right of the entrance, gave him a nod. "I'm bettin' on you, Kid." He pulled down the black sunglasses to show neon orange eyes. "Prove me right." With that he motioned Harry into the ring without another word.

Harry didn't know how to respond so he moved through the threshold. He walked toward the middle of the arena, where all the others had stood, and waited for the world of pain to be brought. Maybe they'd let him skip the treatment if he was beaten into a bloody pulp…

_'I've faced a dragon…'_

He reminded himself while staring a large stain of red among the purple splotches. He didn't feel so confident about even leaving this ring at all... Even in a body bag. The ground underneath him started to move in thunderous rolls. Harry felt his blood run cold as his locked gaze with two basketball sized yellow pools of light. He took an involuntary step back as the creature came up from the depths like a demon from hell.

"H-Holy…" He breathed craning his neck back to stare at the chin of the beast. Its foul breath washed over Harry in a heave and he took another step back. The creature let out a roar that shook the entire base of the arena and charged.

_'I did have a wand…'_

Panic drove Harry to dive out of the way; fear drove him to back to his feet. The next attack came in like lighting and his reflexes were a fraction too slow. The barbed tail of the monster slashed inches from his face as he pushed himself backward into the shield wall. He had expected support, but was met with fire. The yell of agony forced through his lips wasn't caused by the monster, but by the shield itself. The bare skin that grazed the eco-charged wall sizzled as if the youth had leap into furious heat. His skin peeled and cracked as he tore himself away from the wall. He collapsed to all fours, head swimming, and body screaming.

The barbed tail racked across the human's back attaching to the navy shirt. He was lifted and slammed back to the ground with viscous intent. The Metal Head growled triumphantly at its prey with jagged teeth.

Harry didn't move or make the slightest inclination that he was going move away from the two bone spikes ready to pierce his chest.

"God…" Muttered Ava her light eyes widened with horror.

Jak gripped the metal bleacher under him so tightly his knuckles were white. The creature continuously tossed, beat, and kicked Harry's lifelessly body. The crowd had fallen silent. There were no more jeers or cheers being flung at the first year. They all sat on baited breath.

Was he going to be the first causality of the year?

Jak tore his eyes away as the beast tossed the human onto his back, his face bloody, and body bruised. The guards stationed near the shield glanced at each other nervously, shifting in their spots ready to leap into the arena to pull him out. Panic was clear, but Jak knew it wasn't for Harry. He ground his teeth together bitterly. He knew _that _look. He had seen it enough on the faces of the scientists when he had fallen into cardiac arrest during his own experiment. They were concerned for Harry, yes, but only if he were too die. What would happen to _them _if they allowed the _experiment _to be killed on their watch?

They feared for their jobs over Harry's life. It was disgusting, but true.

"Get up!" Shouted Ava, her hands cupped around her mouth, "You'll be killed!"

The Metal Head's large spiked tail loomed over the human. It would likely kill the already beaten human upon impact. The guards took up their guns, one turned to the operator, but the order never came. As if he was waking from a horrible nightmare his eyes snapped open and his chest heaved while his emerald eyes narrowed on the looming appendage. The creature let out a victorious roar bringing it down onto the human. Harry, processing the situation in his dazed state, rolled out of the way at the last second. He came to rest on his side casting his eyes over his shoulder. The Metal Head roared angrily realizing its prey had gotten away.

"Thank the Precursors…" Muttered Ava with slight relief as she slumped back onto the bench. Jak, however, was far from relieved. The creature wasn't dead yet…

Harry regained enough sense to get back to his feet, but his beaten body was slowly starting to give out on him. His legs were sluggish and his heart beating so rapidly he feared it would burst out of his chest. His right arm was numb, blue tendrils coiling around the skin pulsing dangerously.

He stood there swaying back and forth barley skating on the edge of unconsciousness.

The Metal Head charged.

Time seemed to hold its breath as the creature came running.

The world temporarily on pause as Harry mulled over his fate. Surviving the Triwizard Tournament, Voldemort's return, and a month of experiments. Harry was doomed to die here. This was the end of his life. There was nothing more he could do to stop this from happening. There was no luck here, no guards to realize what happened, no doctors to patch up his wounds, no magic to give a distraction.

His death, Fate had decided, was a Metal Head.

He wasn't alright with that. He didn't want to die here. Not now.

Not like this.

His actions were no longer his own. Force inside him boiling the stilled waters of his drive. His shoulders tensed, legs moving to stand his ground in front of the charging beast. The creature was inches from him, but his fist met the side of its massive jaw before it could touch him. The impact shook the terraformers and he felt the bone armor shatter beneath his hand. The ground shook once again as the Metal Head's body fell with a heavy thud.

The crowd was once shocked into silence. The only thing that Harry was able to hear was his own labored breathing. His chest heaved desperately as if he had been underwater. Unlike the soldier before him, he didn't have to remove the gem to kill it. The creature's glowing eyes faded slowly, the gem dislodging itself from crumpling flesh. Harry stared at the swirling gem as it came to rest at his feet. Slowly he bent down to retrieve the gem with his good arm, the other cradled to his chest protectively.

Harry was jolted back to reality when the creature burst into the thousands of tiny purple sparks. The crowd let out a deafening roar of approval comparable to the one given for the second year.

Harry didn't celebrate his victory. Something was wrong, something was horribly wrong with him.

The teenager slipped out of the arena, the operator smirked at him, but he ignored it. A white-coat rushed toward him and before he had time to understand what she was telling him he was seated on a stretcher in the medical tent and the next fight had already started.

He silently sat on the white linen cot pressing the ice to his broken nose. The white-coat had already started to peel off the burned pieces of skin from his back when Jak and Ava appeared. Ava had a large smile on her face while Jak's expression was unreadable.

He gave them a dazed lopsided smirk. "So... How'd I do?"

"… If almost getting yourself killed was the goal – You did a fabulous job." Jak responded casting him a look Harry didn't quite understand.

The black haired teen gave Jak a helpless look while Ava continued astonished. "You just snapped the neck of a Metal Head with your fist Harry! Where the hell did that come from? Are all humans that strong?"

The taller elf frowned towards the third member of their sub-group, but continued to watch the white-coat remove the strips of burnt skin from the human's back silently.

"No," Harry answered at length, "not at all."

Before Ava was able to ask another question the sergeant called out for the next contestant. "Group Nine, member two come to the arena."

Ava glared over her shoulder, but let out a resigned sigh.

"Good luck," Harry told her with an encouraging, yet dazed, smile.

She nodded to him and Jak while he muttered his good luck as she passed. A long, tense silence passed between the two. Jak crossed his arms over his chest intently staring at the grass at his feet. The only sounds that could be heard were the crowd cheering and the roars of a new Metal Head being sent out to face the Invisrin.

"I just punched a Metal Head in the face…" he spoke aloud as realization sett in, "… and broke its neck." Harry paused, casting his eyes to the boy before him. "That's not right… Is it?"

"No…" Jak muttered quietly, "it really isn't."


	5. Playing In the Sand

**PLEASE READ!**

**Faithless: **_Awe… Not as many reviews as I had hoped for, but thank you to the three that did and all those who read and fav me, thank you ;) At least four for the chapter if you please! And, to those who fave and give story alerts – Thank you very much – but drop a review too, alright? It doesn't have to be long._

_I wasn't too impressed with this chapter… I, however, have the flu – The normal one – so sorry for any mistakes._

_Oh note, when I say 'football' I mean soccer – Remember, Harry's a Brit, lol._

**Reviewer Response –**

**The Beckster: **Sorry, lol in my defense it was late at night. :P

**Salamander Hanzo: **Thank you man.

**Arizosa: **… Wow.

* * *

Semi-Automatic

Part I: Misplaced

* * *

**Chapter Five:** _Playing in the Sand _

_**Invisera, Febauria 14 3998**_

The smile that crept onto the aged features of the General caused both uneasiness and relief in the two sitting before him. His dark eyes reflected the blue and white image of a small, barely there boy who did what no normal man could hope to do. The sheer force that had been created by the boy had broken more than half of the terraformers and shorted out every one of the security cameras at the moment his fist connected with the bone armor. After a month of nothing but disappointments this was an unexpected and thrilling development. Here, right in front of them, was concrete evidence that no one could deny was astounding.

The human was changing.

"Sir," ventured the scientist to his left.

He tore his eyes away from the screen as his hand reached to shut the holoprojector off; the image disintegrating into blue and white pixels. "Yes?"

Yuma Sol was the head of the Science Department. She was a platinum blonde woman who was still fairly young, but by far the most talented in her field. Her face was set with the fierceness of a woman who had fought for her position and had no intention of losing it. There was no kindness in her eyes and her face held a certain layer of cosmetics that showcased her vanity. Pulling out a folder she spoke carefully and with respect. "I think we should look into this before we assume too much."

The woman opened the folder to produce the analysis sheets from the last month. "As you saw… His strength and speed were enhanced to an incredible degree… But only for a few minutes." She quickly added. "Though, it is progress." Her sapphire eyes flicked between the file before her and the General. "This is the first time we've seen any."

Neverous gave an understanding nod before turning his intense gaze to the man to his right. Tomaris Tyvin, his Lieutenant General, had remained silent through out the report with a mask of cold indifference. "What do you think will showcase more of his powers?"

The soldier closed his dark eyes as he rested his chin on interlocked fingers. "From what I saw and have seen over the course of this month," he started, "He reacts to environments that hold immediate and real danger. The real possibility of death hanging over the decisions he has to make... We will see more of this," he motioned to where the screen had once been, "if we send him into the Wastelands, Sir." He finished with a respectful nod to his superior.

"Are you insane?" The scientist asked annoyed. "This is just a small hint at what could be changing inside the human. You expect much more than you should after a month!" Her voice grew in volume. "This may have well been a one time thing. Sending him into the Wastes would be a death sentence. I, for one, have looked at his records. He is physically incapable at surviving out there alone."

Unlike Yuma, Tomaris's calm indifference never broke and he even ventured farther to speak to her with a respectful, yet resentful, tone. "That is my decision, Dr. Yuma."

"Enough," Neverous broke the argument before it could even start. "Tomorrow we will send our little experiment out into the Wastelands for another evaluation. Real combat will be more of a useful tool than a secure arena fight."

The woman thinned her red glossed lips. "Sir… I don't think it is a wise-"

He silenced her with a raise of his hand. "Your protest is duly noted. I am taking your suggestion under consideration and have thus far decided he's not going alone." He told her. "I was asked to document any battle skills of the Dark Warrior participant. We will kill two birds with one stone, as they say." He cast his eyes back to Tomaris. "How is our _dear _Baron's experiment fairing compared to his predecessors along with Mr. Potter?"

"The human," The Lieutenant closed his eyes and rested his forehead on his fingers. "Shows considerably amount of raw potential. He uses his small stature to his advantage when it comes to speed. However, his movements are sloppy and unfamiliar with bare handed combat." He frowned. "He moves as if used to having a sort of weapon in his hands, but he's not well off with a gun… His inability to read and write in our language has slowed his rate of progress in the more mechanical aspects of the training. I doubt," He nodded his head. "If he doesn't start making use of that potential – He'll make it to the next year."

"You were," Yuma sneered, "the one that said he'd never make it through the first month."

She was once again silenced by a look from Neverous and Tomaris went on as if she had never spoken. "The DW, Eleven, is odd. He, too, doesn't know as much as an elf his age should about society. I'm rather curious where Praxis picked him up, but…" He trailed off. "He is very intelligent and has an admirable ability to fight for his age. I've also been informed that he more than capable of surviving in hostile jungle terrain than even our Hyper candidates. It is plainly obvious he's been trained to fight before."

The General was silent as he took in what the elf had to report. The two waited patiently for him to make his decision. When he did, it held a hint of finality that neither of them dared to contest. "Then it's decided. You are dismissed."

They inclined their heads and rose from their chairs. Yuma left without another word, but Tomaris hesitated before moving to the door. "Sir, what do you want done with the third member of their group?"

"Merely put her in another group." He told him simply. "The level of secrecy those are able to keep is remarkable." He added his eyes resting on the vast jungle spread out beneath the tall tower.

* * *

"So pretty much no," Laughed the amber haired elf named Blue. Harry felt a small amused smile crawl onto his lips and a light chuckle leave his mouth. His eyes rested on the blue dome sectors that he, and the rest of the first years, were heading toward. The group was filled with quiet chatter while they continued down the dirt paths. Harry was walking beside Blue, an interesting southern accented elf in his own group, and ahead of Jak and Ava. He had fallen into a conversation with Blue about a sport played in his home town; a place called Hyper and found it to sound similar to football. He listened and added his own comments as they walked.

Once they approached the entrance to the VR Harry's hope for a normal day devoid of injections was crushed. Leaning beside the door, his usual cigarette in hand, was Lt. General Tyvin – or as Harry knew him to be – Tomaris.

He said good-bye to Blue, nodded solemnly to Jak, and gave a weary smile to Ava. He slipped through the trainees to come to stand directly in front of the man and two sergeants. Jak, who had watched the human go, was about to turn back as he was suppose to when Tomaris motioned him forward. "You too." He ordered simply.

The elf stopped in mid-step, confused, and turned to walk over to them. He conveyed the silent question to Harry, but all the boy could do was shake his head.

"Neverous," He told them as they followed behind him away from the VR. "Has seen it fit to send you two out into the Wastelands for combat training." They stopped at a large metal door that neither Jak nor Harry had ever seen open before. Once it opened a gush of hot wind lashed the two teens. The door was the entrance to a glass domed airlock that led directly into the desert. Two guns were shoved into their hands without warning. Harry examined the gun as he walked into the airlock. It was slim black and yellow rifle. Harry remembered this to be a Blaster Mod for a Morph Gun; a gun capable of morphing between attachments, hence the name.

"Collect five Skulls Gems and come back here when you are done." He pressed his hand to a large red button and two very confused, and mildly disorientated, boys were left to stare open-mouthed at the iron door.

"Bloody hell…" Mumbled Harry adjusting the leather bag handed to him. "What the hell is this about…?"

Jak shook his head before turning to walk a few paces from the door. He gave Harry a nervous look bringing the morph gun to his chest. "I'd say combating training."

"I am in awe of your powers of deduction.…"

"Yes, so am I." Jak lightly joked as they moved into the endless expanse of the Wastelands. Harry noticed, as they walked in a straight line from the airlock, that several large pillars made of slapped together stone dotted the landscape. Small desert palms hung at odd angles towards the blaring heat of the mid-day sun. After ten minutes they had walked a decent way from the compound. Harry stopped briefly to glance behind them quickly. The hairs on the nape of his neck had risen as if someone was watching them; yet, when he turned around he saw nothing but the endless ivory dunes.

"I just scrapped a running away plan…" Jak commented swiping his forearm across his sweaty green brow, the dirty wrapping around his left arm coming loose as he did so.

Nodding grimly Harry added on. "No kidding… We'd probably die with in a day from dehydration, or exposure… or both." He trailed off pulling at the collar of the navy colored shirt. The Invisera uniform wasn't made of thick material, but even the short time they had been in the direct heat his shirt was starting to become uncomfortably clingy.

"How long," Jak suddenly asked kicking a stone across Harry's path, "do you think it is gonna take to find one of these 'Wasteland Metal Heads?'"

Shrugging a shoulder Harry walked past the blonde to only find himself stumbling. At first he assumed that he had stumbled over his own two feet and expected some snide comment from Jak, but when the ground shook again he knew it wasn't him. The ground, it seemed, was announcing the arrival of the very creature they were looking for. Harry's jaw dropped immediately the ground began to tremble more violently as the beast cleared a sandstone ridge.

"Precursors…" Breathed the elf.

The creature was easily the size of an elephant; perhaps twice that size as it came running closer. It ran on two bulky legs and resembled a chubby T-Rex. Its eyes, just like the rest of its species, were a shimmering yellow and a gem was lodged deep inside its forehead. What alarmed, and confused Harry, was that fact the creature had an empty saddle strapped to its slopped back.

"Jesus Christ…" Harry swore. "That's a bloody dinosaur!" He shook his head in disbelief while following the elf behind a stone pillar.

Two teenagers stayed deathly quiet as the creature came lumbering by their hiding place. The ground vibrating with every heavy step the creature took. Pieces of the pillar they took refuge behind rained down on them; dislodged by the force the creature excreted with a mere step. Kneeling down beside Harry with one hand on an outcropping to keep him steady the elf hissed. "How the hell are we going to take that? Let alone five?"

Harry turned away from the creature to rest his back fully on the hot desert rock. "You're the one with more fighting experience… You tell me. You cued the bastard in…"

The only sound that could be heard between the two trainees was the rock spilling off the pillars, the roars, the monstrous footfalls of the Metal Head, and clicking of the metal saddle joints against steel hard armor. The two minute silence spanned into seven and neither Harry nor Jak had been able to formulate anything that resembled a well thought out plan.

It was finally the elf that broke the silence with a snap of his fingers. "I got it…" He looked to Harry with a less than enthused expression. "It's the best thing I can think of…"

"Shoot," Harry urged.

The fifteen year old nodded his head once again and pointed in the general direction of the Metal Head. "Last week when we were learning how to handle a large creature with minimal officers," He paused for a moment. "The strategy used to lure its attention away from all and onto one…" He ran his tongue along his teeth, a nervous habit of his, and went on. "It hasn't seen us, meaning that it has no idea there are two of us…"

"Meaning," Harry caught on. "That if one of us was to attract its attention and the other attacks we could _possibly _bring it down?"

"Possibly." Jak nodded. "However… I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to get onto its back…"

Another silence lapsed, but it was Harry's turn to end it. The pillar they were taking refuge behind was easily the same height, if not taller, than the Metal Head they were aiming to get. "Climb up there," He pointed skyward. "I'll make it run past here – Jump when it is close enough."

Before Jak was able to tell Harry exactly how ridiculous the idea was he had already grabbed his gun and moved out from the protection of the pillar. The human heard faint mumbling and a few curse words as the emerald blonde strapped the gun to his side and scaled the pillar. When he reached the top, clinging to the bent desert palm, he called down. "Think you can out run it for at least a few seconds?"

The human frowned. "God I hope so…" He shook his head slowly. "If not I'm screwed."

"Heh," The elf smirked. "I don't think that's the word for it."

Harry hid in the shadow of the stone pillar watching the large Metal Head only a few hundred meters from his position. His heart was in his throat and his palms were slick with sweat but he kept a firm grip on his gun and eyes trained on the beast. He vainly tried to calm himself down as he took the first step forward into the Metal Head's line of vision.

_One… _

_Two… _

_Three._

Once the creature had come to realize that the small thing before it was, in fact, a sentient being it halted. For several tense moments the creature stared at Harry, eyes flickering, and massive jaw hung openly slightly with salvia trailing down its chin. The thing looked rapid. Suddenly, with a roar, the creature came charging as what Harry assumed a bull would; head down and coming in _fast. _It took every ounce of self control that Harry had not to instantly duck off behind the safety of the pillar as it came at him. When the Metal Head was only twenty feet from him he dove to the left. As Harry became acquainted with the desert sand; Jak leaped from the rock onto the empty saddle.

Harry scrambled back to his feet and quickly scaled the pillar himself. When he reached the top he spotted the beast with Jak desperately clinging to the behemoth's saddle. Harry's mind was running a mile a minute as he tried to think of a way to calm the thrashing of the beast. He took hold of his gun, went to a knee, and braced the sniper rifle to his shoulder.

The bone armor that covered the Metal Head made a direct shot useless. The human swore slightly, his first shot missing completely, but continued to follow the movement of the Metal Head's legs to the best of his ability. He waited as long as he dared to and he pulled the trigger. With a horrible screeching the Metal Head went head-first into the ground.

Jak, who had been clinging for his life to the reigns of the saddle, climbed quickly to the top of the head. Just as he reached the massive neck it rolled back to its feet.

Harry swore loudly just as Jak lurched forward, barely grabbing a horn to stay on. He fired five more rounds, three of which hit the intended target. Harry, in no way, was a decent marksman, but he was good enough. The sounds of Jak's own Blaster firing and a ground shaking thud cued Harry off the pillar. He hit the ground and ran over the stretch of sand toward the mass in the distance. It had cleared nearly three hundred feet in few minutes it took to bring it to the ground. When Harry had rounded the creature's head he found his friend sliding off the head with the yellow gem in hand. He flashed Harry a triumphant smile before stuffing it into the bag. "I have room for two more."

The wizard gave a sigh of relief. "I probably have the same… We'll ditch the packs somewhere when we go for them." He then added sourly. "Four more to go…"

Jak threw the bag back over his shoulder with some effort. "Next time," He gave Harry a half-hearted glare. "You get to jump on the pissed off Metal Head's back."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Lucky me…"

It seemed that not all Wasteland Metal Heads were as large as the first. This, at the least, saved Harry from having to experience what Jak did with the first. The advantage, however, a smaller Metal Head on the larger one was speed. Each time Jak would end up being the one to stumble across one of them causing him to jump back before being disemboweled by it. Yet, despite Jak being the first they spotted, his life came increasingly less important when the Metal Head saw Harry.

To Harry's appreciation, and embarrassment, Jak had saved him from being either decapitated, run over, torn to shreds, or eaten by the Metal Heads they came across. It would be a lie if Harry said he could have survived the desert without the elf beside him. He hated being the weak link, but he had no way of denying it.

Stopping to catch his breath, the bodies of the Metal Heads behind them bursting into purple sparks, Harry doubled over with his hands on his knees. "How can you not even look the slightest bit tired?" He demanded of the elf between gasps.

The fifteen year old was standing in front of him eyes skating across the dunes before falling on him with a weary smile. "Lurkers," He told him with a shrug. "They were strong, but stupid and always ran in small packs." He placed his hands on his hips and looked thoughtful. "They were nothing like Metal Heads… I think the largest one I ever saw was named Klaww…" He trailed suddenly and stepped forward toward the panting human. "Are you alright? How is your chest?"

A Metal Head Grunt had gotten a little too friendly and left Harry with five long, deep gashes across his chest. He hissed quietly as the wounds stretched and stung mercilessly reminding him they were there. "Yeah… Just worn out…"

Just as Jak was about to say something, probably something Harry didn't want to hear, the tell tale quake of a Metal Head Rider shook the ground beneath them. Jak snapped to attention, spinning around, and scanned the horizon for the creature. He crept around the stone pillar they had once again take refuge behind while Harry seized his Blaster from his side. The morph gun had quickly become his best friend in the hours he had spent out here.

"I got this one-" Jak started reappearing from around the pillar.

"No, I do." Interrupted Harry.

The elf frowned deeply toward him. "You're injured." He motioned to the large chest wounds.

Harry shook his head vigorously. "No." He said through clenched teeth. "I have it." He ignored the exasperated expression on Jak's face and scaled the rock pillar. The elf gave a helpless sight before turning back to get the Metal Head's attention.

Harry knew he was pushing his limits and he was probably going to end up getting himself killed. He was tired of being useless, a burden the entire time they had been out in the endless and hot Wasteland. He reached the top breathless and clenching the bleeding wounds as they burned. He acted as if he didn't notice them when Jak cast his eyes upward and only nodded showing he was ready. The elf disappeared into the dunes and Harry let out a breath.

_'I really am stubborn…'_

His eyes snapped open as a roar sounded from only feet away. Jak came over the nearest dune running like a bat out of hell.

The Metal Head had been closer than they thought. Harry prepared himself for the jump as the creature came closer to the pillar. Jak cleared the line and Harry held his breath as he jumped onto the rampaging Metal Head's back. For a second he thought he would miss, the saddle brushing his finger tips, and he was going to fall. His hands clenched on reflex and he felt the burn of leather against his hands. He locked his arms together and slammed into the metal armor. To his luck the creature halted with the force laid on the straps, the force throwing Harry's body fully onto its back with chest cracking force. For a moment he was dazed and the Metal Head confused. The sounds of the Blaster woke both the human and Metal Head – causing the Metal Head to do its best impression of a bull trying to get a rider off.

The wizard crawled over the armor, gripping where he could, toward a gap. When he reached that gap he stuck the barrel of his gun through and emptied the rest of his clip into the beast's neck. Mixed with rapid loss of movement and blood loss the creature let out a distressed roar.

A sharp yell came from behind him. Harry turned his head in time to see Jak get side swiped by the Metal Head's monstrous tail. He had come to close to the violent appendage and been knocked out of Harry's sight. Adrenaline, panic, and concern coursed through the fourteen year old at that moment. His Blaster was out, Jak was most likely injured, and the beast was still thrashing about as if they hadn't loaded it with eco-bullets.

With a spur of an idea Harry grabbed at the flailing straps connected to the harness. The Metal Head had halted the last time he pulled, he hoped to god that it would work a second time. He planted his feet on the metal ridge and with everything he had he pulled.

"_Come on!_" He let out an animalistic growl as he pulled the leather straps to his chest. The Metal Head let out a surprised yelp as its head instantly snapped down; legs buckled and went head long into a rock face. On impact Harry was jerked forward before he grabbed the saddle and the gem sent spiraling into the rock before bouncing back into the sand.

The teen ignored the gem as he slid of the Metal Head and searched frantically for the blonde elf. He finally spotted him thirty feet from where he had crashed the Metal Head. Scrambling over to elf he found him out cold and bleeding from the forehead. Dropping to his knees beside the elf he shook his shoulder. "Jak, can you hear me?"

His eyes began to flutter upon and a groan released from his lips. "W-What…" He stared dazed at the sun for a moment. Harry helped him into a sitting position while Jak placed a hand to his forehead feeling the gash tenderly. "D-Did you get the Metal Head down?"

Harry smirked in spite of himself. "Yeah… I crashed into a rock face." Now there was something he'd never thought he'd do.

The teenager let out a moan of relief rubbing his eyes. "… Have I ever told you how much I hate the desert?"

Harry let out a short laugh as he stood up. "Only fifty times since we've been out here… Can you get up?" He extended his hand down to the elf.

He nodded reaching his hand forward to take Harry's. It was then that Harry noticed the white wrapping that Jak constantly wore on his left forearm had come loose. He wouldn't have thought much about it, but it was also that moment he spotted runes and numbers inked on his skin. Jak noticed his momentary pause once he got to his feet and realized what he was staring at. He took his hand out of Harry's sight instantly and turned away to re-bind it.

"… Jak?" Harry questioned lightly.

The dark expression that had come over the elf's face was one that Harry had never seen. It was a rare occasion that Jak seemed to grow angry about their situation or even act mildly affected by it. Sometimes Harry found Jak to be too happy for someone in this type of situation.

Jak was far better an actor than he let on.

He turned back to Harry with a lopsided smirk. "So," He started walking toward the gem, "how was the ride?"

There was a long silence from the human. He considered the elf for a long time as he knelt down to scoop up the gem and brush the sand off. He let out a quiet sigh answering. "Like riding a cursed broom."

"What?" Jak raised an eyebrow to him.

The human shook his head dismissing it. "Nothing, don't worry about it." Harry noticed that Jak wasn't looking at him anymore, but over his shoulder. Whipping around Harry spotted a camera disappear into the sand. He snarled. "They're watching us…"

"When aren't they?" Jak muttered bitterly. "Let's head back. I doubt the desert gets any better when the sun goes down."


	6. A Lurker in Eco

**Faithless: **_:P That's what I'm talkin' about – Thank you all for reviewing. I officially have a confirmed case of H1N1… and it sucks epic ass, I must tell you. If my grammar sucks, I'm sorry, I feel like I thought swallowing a bowel of nails was a damn good idea… This is the second to last chapter of part I. Btw_

**- Reviewer Response – **

**Salamander Hanzo: **Thanks, lol

**Never Odd Or eveN: **:P

**The Beckster: **My school didn't let me come back until I had proof I didn't have it anymore D

**Orpheus Thanatos Messiah: **Yeah, yeah, I know… My grammar sucks, but it's not as bad as before. I fixed the 'shoulder' and 'should' thing. Thanks for the review.

**Arizosa: **I always wondered if I actually got that theme across in the first one, I'm glad that someone saw it. : )

* * *

Semi-Automatic

Part I: Misplaced

* * *

**Chapter Six: **_A Lurker in Eco _

_**Invisera, Januria, 13. 3999**_

The steel spider-like chair was cold; the leather straps attached to the arms and legs of the chair guided over the boy's wrists and ankles by the gloved hands. The youth's brow knitted together for a moment, teeth clenched tightly, and fists clenching. The latex covered hands stopped instantly and the armored guards behind them taking up their guns in anticipation of a fight. Instantly the boy calmed down releasing a heavy sigh and relaxed back into the chair. With the final strap tied, securing the test subject to the machine, the scientists backed away to return to their stations.

Yuma Sol, the head of the Science Department, thinned her lips as she watched the youth so easily tame his outburst. She supposed that the boy had come to terms with his fate. On some level, even if it was microscopic, decided to resign himself to their experiment. Taking up her screen-chart, a projection of the boy's heart rate and thermal reading displayed, she moved to his side. Her assistants would take a moment or so to adjust the new levels and reconfigure the machine to the new specs.

Her eyes traveled to the form lying on her table. The boy's face was no longer that of the scared child that had first come fighting and screaming to her table. His eyes were no longer a pleading, desperate, vibrant green, but the dark orbs of a solider. His face, no longer round and child like, was sharp and held the beginning features of the man he was still far from being. He held his shoulders square, his eyes direct and unrelenting… And yet, it was edged with something that she could not put her finger on. There was faded contempt, faded anger, and budding defeat.

Neverous had succeeded in turning the once innocent child into the solider, perhaps the weapon, he wanted.

"I have increased the dose again." She told him casting her eyes back down to her charts, unable to look at the young man on her table - one she had helped destroy.

The human opened his eyes; the look of indifference set firmly in them and silently stared into the glaring surgical light above his head. Letting out a deep breath he closed his eyes again and spoke for the first time since he had entered the Alpha Laboratory. "Just get on with it."

The woman, turning away, inclined her head to her assistant. Caleb, far too excited for her liking, pressed his hand onto the glowing spherical button. "Commencing."

With an involuntary shudder Yuma closed her eyes tightly as the first pain filled scream tore from the human's throat. Even after twelve consecutive months of daily treatments the pain had never lessened for the human. He had become accustom to training, as cadets eventually do, but never these experiments. Yuma was relieved in some twisted way. If he were to ever get used to these treatments, to this ordeal, they would have officially broken the boy and turned him into something… else.

Her eyes rested on the boy as he writhed and arched off the table as much as the straps would allow.

_'If we haven't already.'_

A year ago she had been so _willing _to conflict this pain on him; so _excited _to create something powerful, make her already reputable career better. She couldn't deny the self-loathing that had crept into her mind at how she cowered at the idea of disobeying Neverous. The General was not a man you tried the patience's of and lived. There was a reason he was considered a warlord in the Ivory Jungle. A reason he was called the most powerful man on the southern side of the Ice Mountains.

Remorse filled eyes fell to the room past the glass where she knew Neverous and Alec stood watching the twisted display of genetic science. The woman caught the cobalt orbs of the Commander and was forced to look away. Her hands started to shake just from the intense look he observed her with. She wanted to end this. Press the abort button and destroy the machine.

_'I should have taken Vine's deal…No, _She told herself sternly. '_He'll find a way to get him out…'_

With relief the injection stopped, the hiss of the hydraulics taking Yuma from her troubled thought. Turning her back to her assistants she attempted to school her voice. "Did you get the results?"

Caleb nodded his head. "Yes, Ma'am." If he had heard her voice falter, he ignored it. "His DNA structure is still the same as before… But there are certain anomalies that resemble a –"

Before the scientist was able to finish his report the doors slid open to reveal the young Commander, eyes set grimly. Two thinly armored guards trailed behind their superior, both holding firearms. He raised his cerulean eyes to look directly into hers. She was forced by shame and guilt to look down at her charts. Alec spoke despite the woman having turned her back on him. "General Neverous wants to see you and Tomaris in twenty minutes."

Yuma inclined her head, but offered no verbal response. Casting her eyes over her shoulder she watched as the man walked to the side of the youth. The boy was so pale, Yuma often thought, despite the hours of training in the harsh sun that hung over Invisera, he was still so _pale. _His muscles clenched and relaxed against his will, spasms induced by the trauma the machince forced the body into. His chest rose in uneven beats, heart pulsing a mile a minute.

"Get up," Alec ordered the youth. Yuma had always disagreed with the brashness Alec directed toward the youth. Was it part of his plan? "Neverous wants you in the Audience Room – now."

The boy, Harry, opened his eyes barely a sliver as the straps were undone. He rolled onto his side with a sluggish effort. A groan escaped his abused throat as he slid off the table onto unsteady legs. Instantly his legs gave out; too weak to hold even his meager weight. He clenched the side of the steel table with a shaking hand, the other snaked around his abdomen. He furrowed his brow, grit his teeth, and stood. His triceps, the entrance point for the needles, were marred with hundreds of small little dots with only a fraction of millimeter between them. The newest bleeding freely down his now muscled arms. Taking a deep, calming breath, he squared his shoulders and started toward the elevator without a word to spare.

Yuma admired the boy's endurance and smirked at the traces of pride he still held.

_'Precursors forgive me.'_

Harry, unaware of the emotional conflict in both Alec and Yuma, slipped into the elevator at the end of the hall. He was thankful that neither of the soldiers had followed him to witness the ungraceful stumble and near face plant into the back wall of the elevator. He used the metal guard railing to support himself as the elevator lurched upward. To say Harry wasn't curious, somewhat confused, about a one-on-one meeting with Neverous would be a lie. He had never been called by the man in the last twelve months that he been had here for a private meeting. Usually he had a guard or Commander Alec with him and the conversation rarely had him partaking.

Bracing his sore ribs the youth leaned his head back on the wall behind him with a _the-world-hates-me _sigh. He could barely focus on keeping his eyes open - If Neverous wanted anything in semblance to a meaningful conversation, or interrogation, why hadn't he requested him before the injection?

This thought was left to rot as the doors opened into the extravagant Audience Room. His uneven steps echoed on dark stained wood and his ragged breathing broke the eerie silence. Neverous sat at the head of the long table, back dropped by the torrential rain storm that had struck Invisera three weeks ago, and papers spread out before him.

The human stepped up to the edge of the table, but before he could announce his presence, Neverous spoke without raising his eyes. "You should know to salute by now, Harry."

He winced, but moved his hand begrudgingly into a salute. Neverous looked up, leaning back in his chair, and twisting a pen in his left hand. "At ease," He said with a small nod. Harry dropped his hands behind his back. "You are proving to be an excellent investment of my resources, Harry." He went on.

Harry hated how the man causally tossed out his first name with the tone a friend would. At least the rest had the decency use his surname with the coldness reserved for someone below them. For several long moments with only the sound of rain pelting the window Harry stared at the table in front of him. "… I'm honored to hear that, Sir." His sarcasm was barely disguised.

Isaac Neverous wasn't a man for sudden action concerning his subordinates. His anger was never disguised, but he never out right yelled or lashed out at the idiot foolish enough to cross the line. Harry, to his luck, had stopped just short. He placed the pen down on the table, eyes growing hard, and voice edged. "You should be honored."

Harry raised his eyes, anger getting the best of him, and narrowed his own eyes on the General. He was forced to bit his tongue in an effort to save himself from his own stupidity.

_'Yes…' _He thought scathingly. '_I am so bloody thankful for being your lab rat. I would be absolutely mental if I were to think other wise.'_

The General leaned forward in his chair. "When you came here you were nothing but a weak child. Now you are standing here a very promising first year Invisrin. You've proven to be an excellent marksmen and devastatingly talented in hand to hand combat. Definitely not the boy you started here as." His dark eyes scanned the fifteen year old.

At that moment Harry felt like his world had just slipped through his fingers. He knew, in the back of his mind, that he was very different than the boy he had come here as… But for another to say it aloud, specially the man who had made his life take this violent turn to be the one to say it. He spoke as carefully as he could, hoping to God his voice didn't betray him. "I never asked for this… I never asked to be used as some lab rat."

Neverous smirked at him. "Many people strive to get into here. It is their life's ambition. They would even take being a…" He chuckled lowly. "Lab rat as you put it. You are going to be a weapon to support my men in the field against our enemies."

Daring himself to speak again, Harry ventured. "You are doing this because of the Metal Heads?"

"You've already seen them, Harry. Do you need to ask that question?" He paused. "No, the Baron is conducting his own for that reason. My men have no trouble with those creatures…" He pulled out a manila folder of a large black one. "To the real reason you were called here," He paused. "You told my Commander that you were a… wizard?"

The teen was taken back by the question. He opened his mouth once, closed it, and considered the glass wall behind Neverous. He hadn't thought of magic, of home in general, in the last ten months - it had all been about survival and training. Some part of him felt guilty for it. "I lost my…" He stopped himself wisely. "I haven't been able to use magic since I came here, Sir."

"Then," The General told him simply. "You may leave."

Reminding himself to salute he turned on his heel and walked back to the elevator. He pressed the button as he walked in, the doors shutting with his back on the Audience Room. Once they reopened he was met with the two soldiers that had left him in the lab. They stopped their conversation to give Harry a quick order. "V.R,"

The fifteen year old moved past the two guards and out the threshold. The heat of the building gave way to the frigid air of Central. The chill swept across his exposed skin and set a shiver down his spine. The icy wind in combination with the hail made an already bad day hell. Through the rain, at the edge of the sector at the entrance to the V.R, the human spotted the sixteen year old elf. He was leaning against the wall protected from rain by the metal over hanging.

"You had to part with your hair." Harry observed noticing that the elf had been given a buzz cut. The blonde had been stripped away leaving only the green. He growled at Harry, running a hand over what was left.

"You can go screw yourself." He answered testily as Harry passed him into the V.R entrance. "What took you so long?" He asked at length.

"Neverous fed me bullshit justification for all this." Harry answered shortly as the doors slide apart with a loud hiss.

They entered a large circular room with two separate elevator doors. "Well…" Jak muttered eyes falling on the doors in succession. "This is new…"

In the last months the General had taken to having the two of them participate in joint training sessions. Be it from evaluating their progress in marksmanship, their understanding of strategy, ability to hand the hardware they were given, or just having them thrown head first into the proverbial shark-filled water. They completed these tasks in a tag style usually. It seemed they wanted to try something new. That never spelled anything good.

Jak stepped up to the right door as Harry was left with the other. They nodded to each other silently agreeing they'd meet out on the other side.

~x~

The final sentry let out a screeching whine and sparks before erupting. Harry raised his hand to protect his eyes from the blinding flash and small pieces of shrapnel that were propelled outward. The overload had been rather large compared to the smaller guns that now littered the square room. He opened his eyes to see that the weapon, like the others, was now a pile of smoldering metal and leaking eco barrels. He strode back to what he was assuming to be the final elevator and couldn't help but grin triumphantly. The exercise had been almost too simple; almost out of place in Invisera's training program. Silently he wondered what the sudden change of pace was contributed to. Was it because their first year had practically ended, the graduation ceremony to be held at the end of the week?

_'One more year…' _Harry thought as the doors slide open and he unhitched himself from the wall. '_But what does that mean for me? Is this the rest of my life?' _

Exiting the elevator Harry found that the elf had beaten him there. For a moment there was a surge of annoyance and frustration, but it broke upon seeing the murderous look in his fellow teammate's eyes. After awhile they had almost found these exercises fun, a competition if you will. Who would get to the finish line first. Instead of being met with the cocky grin or a wise ass remark Harry was met with Jak looking like he would kill the next person who dared to look at him wrong.

His arms were crossed tightly over his chest and eyes glaring at the metal floor as if it had committed some horrendous, unspeakable crime.

"Jak?" Harry asked coming up on his side.

Jak jerked his head sharply up at the glass control room above their heads. "The Baron is up there… Almost forgot that today makes a year." He sighed frustrated.

"… Really?" Mused Harry staring at the floor intently. He had forgotten… Jak was only here for a year. It almost seemed surreal not to have the elf around. That he'd truly be on his own from that moment on. For some reason it didn't seem right.

"Well," Jak said making Harry look to the taller elf. "… I 'suppose this is good-bye." He seemed just as reluctant about having to be on his own again. He opened his mouth to say something, but it died away in his throat and he closed his mouth with a heavy sigh. Harry had an idea it was going to be along the lines of. 'Good luck' or 'You'll do fine' something that Jak would normally say to encourage the human.

The human knew it wasn't himself that needed luck on his side. He was, in all reality, going to be alright. The elf, however, he had no idea. Invisera and Haven City were vastly different places. Harry had always known that Invisera was a better place for the elf than Haven City Fortress had ever been. The teen had only ever dared to talk about it once to Harry in the last year. Even the vague story had been enough to twist Harry's stomach. They pushed him in all the wrong directions and in the wrong ways.

To Harry, Invisera was hell. To Jak, this was the closest thing to freedom. He placed a hand on his shoulder and said. "Don't let them mess you up too bad, Jak."

Jak refused to look at him and chuckled in spite of himself. "Too late for that…" He closed his eyes and Harry released his shoulder and the teen gave him a thankful nod. He didn't need much, but what little Harry could give him at the moment seemed to ease the elf slightly. "See you on the flipside."

The human sighed. "Probably not."

The door opened once more to allow Tomaris into the room. He, without looking at them, ordered. "Eleven to the Transport Field, Potter you are staying in the cell tonight." With a final nod Jak disappeared through the door with Tomaris while Harry was lead by two guards to his old cell. He wondered, as they stopped to unlock the door, if he would ever see the elf again.

_'I doubt it.'_

The tip of a gun was pushed harshly into the middle of his back making a deep growl release from throat. This caused both to snap their Blasters to his chest with warning. He lazily raised his hands in the universal sign of surrender and stepped into the cell. Once the door had shut and he found himself sitting on his old metal cot and suddenly exhausted. He didn't stop to think of why he was being kept in here for the night before his head hit the pillow and he was asleep.

"Potter, get up." Urged a voice that preceded a rough shake of his shoulder.

Emerald shot open to be greeted with the face of the Invisera Commander with a gun in his right hand. He sat up immediately smacking his hand away from his shoulder roughly. His lips turned in a snarl. "What do you want?" He hissed.

Alec spoke urgently. "Get up and come with me."

Despite wanting to punch the Commander in the face, Harry obeyed the order. He let himself be cuffed and led out of the cell without complaint. Alec, never one to be anxious, seemed to be a bundle of nerves that he did a poor job of concealing. Once outside Harry wasn't lead back to the other first years, but to the Transport Field. Confusion slowly crept into Harry's mind as he spotted the hovercraft, or more precisely, a Krimzon Guard Prison Transport.

The Commander, alone, approached the guards as they were prepping the ship for take off. They were just shutting the doors on the back as Alec pulled Harry up behind him. The red headed man that still strangely reminded Harry of Malfoy Senior was directed them as another pointed toward Alec.

He turned to show Alec his profile before turning fully. "We are about to head out… What is it?" He didn't look impressed.

The Commander motioned to Harry. "Neverous had decided to let the Baron have him." He produced a folder. "These are his records and exactly what we have been giving him since the start."

The Krimzon Guard took the folder and began to flip through it briefly. His light eyes came back to the Commander, then Harry curiously for a moment, and then said snapping it shut. "The offer was originally declined. What is with the change of heart? Neverous has never been one to second guess himself." He snapped his fingers silently directing the two large men in armor to grab the human. One did so roughly and Harry wasn't having it. The Invisera guards had learned, once Harry had become a decent fighter, not to touch the youth and he would be compliant. Precursor forbid if someone was stupid enough to do what the K.G had just done.

A growl ripped from his throat and his elbow slammed into the man's stomach. He recoiled grabbing his middle with a groan. Harry grinned down at the man as he coughed up a unhealthy amount of blood. He glared at the other daring him to use the gun in his hand.

"Potter." Snapped Alec with urgency.

The human looked to Alec with annoyance, but conceded. "Fine… Fine. Lead the way red guy." He directed this comment to the guard still standing. Harry wasn't able to hear the last of the conversation as he was shoved roughly into the back of the pitch dark ship. Without his arms to steady himself, Harry fell forward ungracefully. "Bloody hell!"

"Harry…?" Came a surprised voice from somewhere in front of him.

"Jak?" Harry asked back equally surprised as hands helped him to his feet and released his own from the shackles.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked throwing the shackles to the floor with a clang.

The human rubbed his chafed wrists and squinted at the dark mass. "Going to Haven with you, apparently." He paused, trying to find some humor in this. "I think I've just been traded."

A heavy thump resounded as Jak practically threw himself down onto either a bench or the floor with a miserable sigh. Harry groped the darkness for a bench and ended up finding it with his knees. "So," He mused. "We are in the same boat now."

"And it's sinking faster than a Lurker in eco." Jak replied sardonically.

"Pessimist."


	7. Playing with Fire

**Faithless: **Okay, so you all were really good about the chapter five, but I'm getting the same problem with chapter 6 – I'm okay with people that don't review most of the time, but this getting a little much. I'm getting masses of favs and yet no reviews. C'mon people. Thank you to those that still review, it is very helpful to know what you are thinking… Oh switches between Harry and Jak.

Ya so, the new Jak and Daxter game… Gotta say I love it. There are a lot of controls to remember and Jak's voice actor is different, but graphics are good and the aero fights are fun lol. All I have to say is that Commanders in this series have issues… and a thing for Keira.

Fav scene from the new game (Not whole scene – lol not a spoiler)

_Daxter: Hey are you listening to me? _

_  
Jak: Huh? Sure Dax… Something about the nails in your eggnog… _

_  
Daxter: Now that's sweet ride..._

_Jak: And our ticket out of here, that baby looks fast standing still. Come on Dax, climb aboard, and put your trays in the upchuck position._

_  
Daxter: At least you didn't say the exit's through the rear! _

_Jak: The nights still young. _

At least three reviews and you get your chapter eight :)

**

* * *

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Semi-Automatic

Part I: Misplaced

* * *

**Chapter: **_Playing with Fire_…

_**Haven City, Januria 14. 4000**_

The pale light from outside the metal enforced door barely highlighted the filthy face of the boy in the cell. His chest rose faintly, as if he was asleep, and his breath came out in pale wisps of smoke in frigid air. His wrists were strapped to the metal railings of the broken cot, purple and green fingers wrapped tightly around the rusted metal turning already pale knuckles white. His eyes were open, but lifeless and glazed over in a delirium. Green eyes stared at the rusted roof, shredded lips parted to show blood stains on his teeth.

Vaguely the boy wondered what had happened to him. His mind seemed to have lost grip on the events that had preceded the cell. However, the question seemed foolish as he thought about it. Why worry about it, he considered numbly, did it really matter to remember your name?

He would be completely and utterly content to lay strapped to his bed with only the dark around him. Thinking disjointedly, wondering senselessly, and mumbling incoherently to the shadows he saw out of the corner of his eye. Why lay there chasing whispers of memory that were probably not real? His prior life, whatever it had been, was like a distant and far away dream. This was reality; he had merely dreamed the other life to escape. The only real thing was the empty space and the constant cold.

It was always _cold. _

The nameless boy didn't mind having the silent companion. The shadows never talked backed and they never _hurt _him. They didn't want to _break _him. They didn't want to _change _him. They _listened _and offered him a place to hide from even himself. They didn't care if he went off about headless ghosts, cousins that looked like whales, or a three headed Cerberus named Fluffy. They didn't care when he screamed himself hoarse just to make sure he hadn't gone deaf.

The shadows didn't care that he was falling farther and farther away from his sanity. That he was placed precariously on the edge of a cliff or that a feather could knock him off the side.

They really just didn't care.

And he was okay with that.

The shadows weren't silent today. An incoherent nagging muttering crept into his ears. Echoing whispers in a room that had no echo. His mind couldn't comprehend it. Was someone in his room? "Go away…" He wanted to be alone with his shadows. His silent shadows.

The voice became louder, unmistakably male. It was telling him to get up – To wake up and remember something he'd lost. It screamed so loud he thought his ears were going to bleed.

"Go away…" The boy whimpered shaking his head back and forth with eyes clamped shut. He didn't want to go be set on fire, he didn't want to be buried in concrete. "_Go away…_" He begged desperately.

The voice screamed again, long, loud, and with frightening intensity. Dark green sprung open and air was sucked in through clenched teeth as desperately as a man drowning. The glaze disappeared as life returned. Hidden logic broke loose and began to surface through the fog that had crept into the boy's mind. The delirium was replaced with confusion, frustration, and searing pain. The boy's head pulsed as if someone had slipped a dagger into his temple and his ears wrung as another scream pierced the air.

The boy jerked forward in a foolish notion to help or perhaps in momentary fear. He couldn't tell anymore. The straps forced him back to the bed. Hard. He let himself fall flaccid in the leather wrist, chest, and ankle straps and took in several deep breaths.

How long had he slipped this time? He wondered as he jerked his left wrist in the straps. _Long enough, _he thought exhausted, _to not know how I got strapped down. _His eyes traveled down his torso to see that his prison issue shirt had more holes in it than before, his pants were shredded, and his skin was caked with dry blood.

Had he attacked himself again?

Before he could debate if the blood was his or not, his chest exploded. A fresh screamed ripped from his swollen lips and abused throat. Each breath felt as if he was inhaling fire. It was like something inside was wracking claws against his heart, lungs, and ribcage. He fell back to the cot after several agonizing moments panting. His skin was slicked with sweat, his clothes sticking to him, and face flushed.

Shouting, screams, even casual conversation echoed long after his voice died in his throat. He knew who they were, why they were here. They were inmates being executed at the end of their sentences. They were some that shouted innocents, and some trying to relieve their boredom with the prisoner beside them. Murders, rapists, rebels, anything not wanted on the street were shoved into the crowded cells of Haven Prison.

Grinding his teeth together the teenager knitted his brow together. He hated to admit he was glad that he could hear those voices, hell even the screams, if it meant he'd keep it together. He was tired of his own thoughts, his own voice. He was afraid to sleep as the nightmares consisted of the same horror he faced awake. _How did Sirius survive so many years of this? _

He was going to snap.

If he hadn't already.

_I can't take this much longer… _He thought as the pit of his stomach fell away and fear crawled into his chest. _Before I don't come back out. _

An involuntary twitch of his fingers was the only warning before he lost his tenuous grasp on reality. Again.

* * *

- 0 -

The dark energy generated from the two metal prongs surged forward greedily and licked across the pale skin of the elf locked into the chair. His body twisted, jerked, and tried to volt away from the energy, but metal shackles kept the blonde in place. Agonized screams had died to exhausted grunts as consciousness slowly slipped away from him.

Either of the men standing on opposite sides of the chair didn't move to help the elf, they merely watched. The taller and older of the two, known as Baron Praxis, held his red gaze on the elf with annoyance and frustration. The red headed man in the blue and yellow uniform stood with arms crossed over a metal chest plate and a bored expression on his cynical set face. The teen writhing in pain on the laboratory table didn't incite pity, compassion, or morals – It bored the man. Shaking his head he signaled to a white-coated man behind a large console. The man nodded and placed his hand over a purple hued half sphere. Instantly the power was cut and the dark energy dissipated into the skin of the boy.

The prongs came to a halt and reset themselves back inside the morbid machine with a click. The teen fell against the metal chair with a heaving chest. His eyes rolled dangerously back in their sockets and a low moan emitted from him.

An electronic female voice resounded through the room. "Dark Eco Injection complete. Bio readings nominal and unchanged."

The younger elf dragged a gloved hand down his face wincing as the booming voice of the older elf came from the other side of the chair. "Nothing!" He growled. "I was informed that this one might be different." Baron Praxis glared dangerously at the light eyed elf.

"He is surprisingly resistant to your 'experiments.' I fear that the Dark Warrior Program has failed." Answered the soldier motioning to the chair where the teen continued to twitch in the aftermath of the treatment.

In anger the Baron suddenly whipped around and grabbed a fist full of the teen's long hair, cruelly vaulting him awake and aware. "You should at least be dead with all the Dark Eco I've pumped into you." He snorted practically slamming the teen's head back down on the table with intent.

The elf's world had suddenly become freeze frame; in one moment, out the next.

Errol, the K.G Commander, interrupted with a hint of aggravation. "What now then?" He considered the sword carrying elf as he walked around the table. "The Metal Head armies are pressing their attacks. Without a new weapon, my men won't be able to hold them off forever."

The Baron, in a spur of anger, took a menacing step forward and his height dwarfed the Commander's instantly. He was forced to take a step back just to be able to look the man in the face. "I will not be known as the man that lost this city to those vile creatures! Move on with the final p-"

A roar that sounded blood thirsty and infuriated interrupted the Baron. It echoed through the prison below them and alarmed the guards on patrol down on the walkways. A series of bangs, growls, and stressed metal came after and could be traced back to a cell on the seventh level. Sparks and shreds of metal danced out of the bars at the feet of the two guards standing near it. Tensing and raising their guns ready for the door to give out under the assault. As soon as it started, it stopped. Complete silence lapsed over the prison complex and the guards carried on.

With an aggravated sigh Praxis motioned to the elf on the table with disgust. "Finish this thing off tonight." Amber rested on the seventeen year old before moving back to the Baron as he went on. "The human is our fall back." Bowing his head the Commander watched the man leave over the small bridge that linked the terraformer base to the rest of the complex. He grabbed the boy's collar and brought him closer; closer than the boy would have liked. "I'll be back later."

With that threat he let the teen drop back and followed the Baron out of the block.

It is said, when someone is about to die, their life flashes before their eyes. Jak had never been one to believe that saying, however… He had never known without a shadow of a doubt if he was going to die. He knew better than to second guess Errol's threats.

As he lay on the table he found himself watching his life in reverse. Hating the fact he would never be able to see Sandover again. That he would never heard the sarcastic quips from Daxter, Samos's rough voice yelling at either of them for something, or to help Keira out with her zoomer. He wanted, for the brief time he had left, to be normal again. He didn't want to be this, a killer – a failed Dark Eco experiment. He wanted to hear the ocean and feel the sun on his face. Hear a seagull or ride a Flut Flut through a swamp. He wanted to see things familiar – Not this odd, dark world around him.

He didn't want to hate himself anymore.

… You often wanted things that were out of reach.

"Ding, ding!" A voice shouted out. "Third floor, body chains, roach food, and torture devices!" Suddenly a weight was added to his sore chest. He groaned, but didn't have the ability to swat it away. "Hey buddy, you seen any heroes around here?" A pause. "Whoa!" The voice suddenly blurted out in disbelief. "What they do to you?" It muttered.

_What haven't they done… _He thought vaguely trying to focus on the orange blur on his chest. _What the hell… _He never did picked the best time to start hallucinating.

"It's me, Daxter!" The orange blur shouted.

_Heh, ya right… _Jak lifted his head for a second, still unable to see the thing clearly, and let it fall back down just as lifelessly. He too tired and sore to deal with figments of his severally twisted and very sadistic mind. It wasn't the first time he'd imagined his ottsel friend finally coming to get him.

"Well that's a fine hello! I've been crawling around this place risking my tail, _literally_," The orange blur unknowingly stepped too far south of Jak's belt making him lurch forward and grunt in pain before exhaustion took over again.

First time the hallucination actually _hurt_…

"I've been looking for you for two years! Say something – just this once!" The blur pleaded.

Suddenly Jak felt angry. He was angry that he was here, angry that he was hallucinating, angry that he was going to die. The only thought that came to his mind clearly was more of a promise than a response. "I'm going to _kill _Praxis!" His eyes suddenly focused on the blur and the definite shape of the ottsel appeared before him. Instantly a furry hand clasped over his mouth, face twisted in shock, and then blue eyes frantically looked to the sides. "Shhhh!" He whispered. "Right now, we gotta get you outta here. Just let me figure out how to open the security locks for your chair –"

With a heaved breath, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and with an angry yell he shot forward. Daxter was thrown back to the floor while metal gave way and snapped clean off the chair. The creature stared bewildered at its clawed hands.

"Or… Ah, you could do it…" The rodent standing near the edge of the spoke with fear barely disguised.

It stared at Daxter before moving off the table. It stumbled at first as it wasn't used to having control over its legs. It focused on the orange creature and snarled deeply. Taking a menacing step forward the creature clicked its claws in anticipation.

"Easy now," The rodent tried raising his hands in surrender. "Easy buddy, it's your ole' pal Daxter remember?" His voice went higher than his gender would suggest the moment the demon roared and went at him.

And then Jak came back.

He took in a rushed breath and stumbled away from the rodent. His features melded painlessly back to that of the emerald blonde seventeen year old. "D-Daxter?" He rasped, hoping to whatever God still looked over him that this wasn't another one of his delusions.

Snapping out of his fear and picking his jaw off the floor Daxter threw up his hands. "What the hell was that? Sheesh! Remind me not to piss you of!" He shook his head. "C'mon tall, dark, and gruesome – We're outta here." He paused for a moment and pointed to their left. "I, uh, brought you some new threads. Put 'em on."

Jak's eyes fell on the bundle of clothing next to him. It consisted of a blue tunic, pale pants, an empty holster, goggles, and metal plated boots. He, still not moving, opened his mouth whispering. "Free?"

The orange ottsel opened his mouth, and then closed it before nodding his head. "Yeah… Yeah, you're free – But you gotta change quickly."

Without another word the seventeen year old slipped off the dirty rags that made up his prison uniform and took great satisfaction in throwing them over the side. A small smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth as he pulled the shirt over his head.

_Finally_, he thought, _I get a break_.

"We gotta leave – like now!" Daxter suddenly said standing on the edge of the chair with a worried look on his face. "And then you can tell me how you suddenly learned how to speak… Cause, ya know… If you could this entire time… We gotta have a serious discussion about it."

The smirk that tugged at his lips was quickly replaced with a tight grimace as he secured the back holster. "Surgery." He offered as the only explanation. He would rather not remember the week they decided a soldier needed a voice.

"Uh… Okay…" Muttered Daxter before jumping onto his shoulder. The orange ottsel pointed in the direction of an air vent. A large stack of crates were piled up to the entrance, one that Jak didn't remember every seeing. "You okay?"

_No. _Jak didn't head to the crates; he had just stop all together with a look that said he was trying to decide something. "We can't leave yet." He told Daxter seriously. "There is someone down in one of these cells…" He waved at them absently as they passed. "I saw them move him from the pit before the injection." In truth he hadn't exactly _seen _the guards bring up the prisoner up, he had heard it. The elf knew, despite Daxter constantly reminding him, they were on the clock. That he didn't just do all that for him to get caught again, that there was more – more than Daxter knew – on the line if Errol returned before they were able to leave. He relished in the idea of taking the man on in a fist fight, no guns or knives, but if Jak wasn't alone this time. His punishment would be having his cell flooded with Dark Eco if he lost that fight if he was alone.

Not with Daxter with him.

Not with a prefect example of what Dark Eco could do to a person.

"What number…" He asked frustrated walking the line of cells. Reaching the middle of the block he noted the metal shavings on the walkway outside the barred door.

"What type of buddy could you make in here that would make you risk getting' caught again?" Daxter asked lowly.

"I didn't meet him here…" Jak replied pressing the green released button. "Go in, check his ears." Jak motioned to Daxter keeping his eyes locked on the entrance to the prison. The rodent disappeared into the dark of the cell.

"They are really short; whoever did this knew what they were doing…" Daxter's voice drifted back. "Damn – The kids shackled to the bed… And covered in blood…" He added. "… Dude, there's blood on his _teeth._"

The elf slipped into the cell to find that Daxter was standing on the rusted edge of the bed. In the shadow of the cell he wasn't able to full assess the condition of the human, but he smelt the blood. He could practically taste it as he leaned forward to snap the metal chains like wood in his hands. The leather was still secured tightly around his wrists secured by Precursor metal latches. He didn't have time to pick them; he had spent enough time searching the grid already.

The unconscious human, even as dead weight was paper light. It threw Jak for a moment, but concern had to wait. They needed out of this place – They needed out now. "Dax," He turned to his childhood friend. "Lead the way."

"Uh," He started as they made it to the vent and into a large shaft. "You sure you want the dead weight?"

The seventeen year old didn't answer the question as he pulled Harry alongside him. The leather and remains of the metal chains clicked loudly when they struck the ground. Jak knew he needed to be calm, needed to keep level headed, but it was almost impossible. Anxiety, adrenaline, excitement, and fear collided at his core and sent his mind off in a million directions. Every turn was taken at a run, he slipped through doors before they had fully opened, and over grates before guards below were any wiser.

"Guard!" Hissed Daxter suddenly from in front of him. Jak skid to halt and back pedaled behind a large console. They had made it across several floors with out an alarm and without a guard. Jak had assumed Daxter had unwittedly, or maybe he had known, dared his rescue during a shift change. The K.G stood, back facing them, talking quietly on his communicator. His gun wasn't in his hand but placed against the wall suggesting he doubted that his nightly patrol wasn't going to smoothly.

Escape was the only thing on his mind. That he was so close – So close being out of this fortress, to breath fresh air, that he didn't stop to think of the fact that Daxter was there. As he laid Harry against the wall or as he silently came up behind the guard he didn't think. While the malice filled grin twisted his lips or as he wrapped his arms around the man's neck to snap it – He didn't think.

It was only when he turned back to face Daxter that he realized what he had done. The horror, shock, and disbelief that crawled across Daxter's face alarmed Jak for a moment. For a moment he felt embarrassed. Not ashamed, but embarrassed, that his friend had seen him kill… Kill so _effortlessly._

"You… You just _killed…_" Trailed off Daxter barely above a whisper.

_I'm not the same, Dax… _He wanted the words to pass his lips, but he couldn't force them through. "It's kill or be killed."

"Back up! I need back up on level f-"

All emotions suddenly snapped away as Jak spun around and lunged at the guard. He smacked the communicator from his hand, but didn't expect the parried blow or the metal encased knuckles that slam into his jaw. He growled savagely and grabbed the man's wrist. With a twist of his own he heard the satisfying crack and the agonized shout. He barely felt the knee to the stomach as he grabbed onto the guards helmet. With a savage pull tendons snapped, bone cracked, and skin ripped with a sickening sound. The severed head was what greeted the next guard before the enraged teenager came for him.

The soldier, however, knew him. He knew his moves, his strategy, the way he was going for the attack. "Sorry kid," The guard smirked. "I know all the tricks."

Jak glared dangerously, but his eyes fell on the dark figure standing behind the guard.

The figure, obscured by the broken light, placed a pale hand on the man's armored shoulder. He pulled the man closer and rasped in his ear. "They didn't teach this one…"

In a spray of blood a red soaked hand came through the chest of the elf. The bone bending outward and metal shattering like glass; a beating mass, the elf's heart, was clenched in the blood coated fingers. The guard let out a string of gargled gasps before sliding lifelessly off Harry's arm. Jak raised his eyes back to the black haired prisoner and, despite it all, found himself with a smirk on his face. "You learned that where?"

Harry's eyes rested on his silently, but nothing was said as they were rushed by more guards. Ordering Daxter back onto his shoulder they leapt into the fray. Guards came at them from every side, but they met their end in the same way. It was a blood bath in very sense of the word. Unable to secure guns, the two teenagers relied solely on their fists and physical strength. Guards weren't left riddled with bullet holes, but with shattered bones, missing hearts, limbs, and pure horror forever etched on their tattooed faces.

Breaking through a final panel the trio found themselves in a water logged storage room. "That is it!" Daxter suddenly shouted from his shoulder pointing wildly up at a large security door. "We get through that and we're home free!" He grinned at Jak with uncertainty. "I told ya I'd come for you, Jak…" He gave him a sheepish lopsided grin. "Just… Took a round 'bout way of getting there."

"… A talking rat…"

Jak and Daxter turned to face the dark haired human and Jak was finally able to see the condition of the human.

It was bad.

"I am an ottsel, Short-Ears! O-T-T-S-E-L." He stressed each and ever letter glaring at the human darkly.

"Come on." Jak interrupted. "Let's just get out of here." He began to climb the crates up to the large door, he could taste the freedom – almost touch it. With Daxter on his shoulder, Harry climbing up behind him, only one thought came to his mind clearly as his eyes took in the skyline of the city. He was going to kill them. He'd make them pay; destroy them for what they had done to him and the ten others that wouldn't ever be able to experience freedom. For the look of fear and disbelief that his childhood best friend stared at him with. He'd kill them for the fact that he no longer knew himself, even understood himself half the time.

Jak did not realizing that this was the start of something beyond himself. That this beyond his hate, his thirst for their blood, the monster inside him, or the dystopia before him. That, by the end of the year, he would lose far more than he already had.

_**- End of Part I: Misplaced - **_


	8. Red Paint, Purple Sparks

**Faithless: **You gave me reviews, so I give you a chapter – I like this system, how about you? :D

Oh – Go read '**A Matter of Time'** by **Burenda** – Awesome story.

**ChineseIsGreek2Me: **Yeah, I'll work on it – I noticed it too when I was writing it out again. Longest review I've gotten since I wrote 'Children of Crimson Moon' when I was thirteen. I like being told what I am doing wrong. It helps a lot. The game is good, but there are a few things that bother me. The camera controls killed me off most often and it is hard to switch between the new powers and the backgrounds are plain. I actually hope that after Uncharted 2 Naughty Dog will take to making another one. The voice acting is alright, Jak's new voice actor is good. The end of the game there is a moment of 'OH MY GOD WE IS ALL GOING TO DIE' but it is worth playing.

**Beckster: **Thanks for the review – Don't be jealous, lol… The scene comes after a rather 'Oh… Damn, poor Jak… Not a pleasant flashback.' Scene.

**Salamander Hanzo: **Thanks!

**ALIJJ: **I know :}

**Never Odd Or eveN: **Still love your display name.

**Mystfit: **I'm not good at writing mental break downs. I'm glad I did well."

**Note: **This is now in Harry's POV mainly – No more time stamps!

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Semi-Automatic

Part II: Losing it

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**Chapter Eight:**_ Red Paint, Purple Sparks_

The sand and gravel crunched loudly under the metal plates of his boots as he leapt from the ledge. "We're free!" Daxter shouted pumping his small arms into the air. "And it is all thanks to me." He jabbed his thumb into his chest before turning back to Jak. "We'll get him." He promised Jak with a nod. "Praxis is good as dead, don't worry."

"Careful what you say." A voice warned in a hoarse whisper. "We are still in _his _city with _his _guards." Dark emerald gazed at the two of them blankly through shaggy bangs.

Daxter studied Harry for a long time as Jak took in the city for the first time. "You must have done somethin' real bad for them to cut your ears off…" He paused. "So, what ya do?"

Jak cast his eyes side-long to the bloody human. He raised a bruised hand and ran it through his hair wincing as his fingers bent along his scalp. Bringing his hand down to his eye level genuine surprise crept across his emaciated features. He didn't remember breaking them, but only his forefinger and thumb had survived whatever assault he had partaken in. Shaking his head he answered the _talking _rat's question.

"I'm human…" He hooded his eyes against the strong neon lights above their heads. "Not elf."

"Really? Huh, thought I read something about them dying out ages and ages ago…" He trailed off, but then shrugged it away turning back to Jak. Harry tilted his head toward Daxter for a moment. When Jak had talked about Daxter in Invisera he hadn't referred to him as a 'pet' but as a friend – he made him sound like he was an elf like himself. Harry had always imagined the elf's childhood friend to be similar to Jak. He could say, in all honesty, that an orange hybrid of a weasel and an otter wearing a pilot helmet and gloves wasn't what he had been expecting. Turning his eyes skyward to take in the city around him, he vaguely wondered how the creature had managed to get into the Prison without being detected.

Harry would have liked to say that his first breath of fresh air as a free man was just that, _fresh. _It wasn't. The smog in the air was thick enough to clog his throat and make his eyes sting. It left a yellow haze in the light. The acrid sent of blood mixed with the acerbic taste of the smog threatened to make him ill. Noticing the way Jak's features twisted for a moment, the elf was experiencing the same stomach turning sensation.

The buildings that rose at his sides were also far from what he expected of Haven City. They were cramped together, broken down, and repaired with what looked like someone had pulled off the street. Cables were strung haphazardly over their heads while sodium lights and burning barrels offered light on the lower levels. Machines crawled across the sky above their heads. Some sleek, some larger, and some that looked particularly cumbersome and should have fallen out of the sky. The drivers skillfully avoided the wires, signs, and other drivers in invisible lines of traffic that only they were able to see. The elves that were around them, not that there were many, avoided them as if they didn't exist. Harry, taking in the blood on his hands and what he could see was his body, found this out place. The blood covered most of his brown prison uniform, but shouldn't that have caused some alarm?

They merely avoided eye contact turned their heads away oblivious and kept going. It wasn't too far out of the ball park to think that it might be a common sight.

Even if he did look like someone had splashed him with a bucket of red paint.

Harry turned his eyes away from the skyline and anti-gravitational vehicles over head to notice that Jak was staring intently down the street. It was the first time in a year that he had seen the elf since the transport left Invisera. He changed over the year as Harry had no doubt he had also. Like him his features were gaunt from starvation and skin pale from having been without sun for a year. His hair, crew cut style the last time, hung at his shoulders. The clothes he wore, rather bloodless for the fight they had just been in, were new. He had a shoulder plate, the one that Daxter sat on, and one tucked into the large gloves he wore. He seemed darker - angry than Harry remembered.

He followed the path Jak's eyes went to find he was staring at two elves at the bottom of the street. The first was an older elf in blue white robes and long grey bread. In his hand was a large walking staff. The man reminded him of a Metal Head with the large yellow gem connected to his headband. The man wasn't looking toward them but off in another direction contemplating something.

The child, barely four years old, stood beside him fiddling with his thumbs. Green curls stuck out from under a leather cap while blue eyes stared down the streets with a bored expression saying he had seen it thousand times. He stuck his hands into the front pockets of his overalls and kicked a stone in front of him to giggle when it fell into a sink hole. A bronze amulet sat pinned to the hem of his overalls. It reminded Harry of a Yin and Yang symbol.

"I'm going to go over there." Jak suddenly stated. "Get some information about where in Haven we are."

Harry cast his eyes back to him silently, but he barely held the elf's gaze before jerking his head toward an alley. He doubted that the elf would be so willing to let go of any information when a man in the condition Harry was in came sauntering up to him. Without another word he turned on his heel and headed over to the alley. He missed the frown Jak tossed his way, but he moved ahead without a word.

The human leaned on his shoulder, arms crossed over his chest carefully, and watched as Jak approached. The elderly man had noticed him before the child did. He gave him and Daxter a nod and spoke. "Hello strangers, my name is Kor. How may I help –"

Jak's hand enclosed around the fabric of the elderly man's collar and roughly pulled him forward. "You look like a reasonably smart man. I want information." He demanded clearly showing he was not in the mood of the usual salutations. "Where the hell am I?" He tossed the man back away from him to motion toward the broken down buildings.

Kor gave him a startled look, but the child barely reacted. "Ah…" Daxter jumped of Jak's shoulder to land between him and two. "Sorry, he's new to the whole conversation thing."

The child did react to Daxter. He reached out his hand to pet Daxter, but decided against it retreating behind Kor instead.

The man brushed himself off, not at all offended with Jak's tone or the impatient manner Jak waited for his answer. "Well my angry young friend. You are a _guest _of his _majesty _Baron Praxis." He told him with a nod. "The ruler of '_glorious' _Haven City." There was mirth in the man's voice as he held out both hands to the glory of it all.

Jak scowled at the man. "I was just '_guest' _in the good Baron's Prison. Where in Haven City are we?"

Kor chuckled at this, inciting more anger from Jak. He had definitely changed in the last year. Harry had always been the impatient one, Jak had been the one to tell him to calm down, to relax and just be patient when wanting to get something out of someone. Harry had been given crucial insight into Havenites by his cellmates. Showing fear on these streets got you killed. Intimidation and bribery were the methods of choice when dealing with a Havenite.

They lacked items to trade so Jak had fallen onto the second.

"Inside a cell or inside the city… Wall surrounds us _both_." He stressed the word. "We are his prisoners -" The man was interrupted as the young child pulled desperately on the blue fabric of his robes. He motioned to swat the tiny hand off his robes, but he caught what the child was pointing with a terrified look. Harry leaned forward to see around the bend and cursed under his breath. A trio of Krimzon Guards was coming towards them with weapons raised. Jak cast his eyes shoulder to Harry. There was no way possible that they knew about the escape yet. They had taken special care to dispose of any guard they had come across.

Harry shook his head slowly sunk farther into the shadow of the building. If they were lucky enough to have the guards pass them by on patrol – They didn't need Harry's appearance to drag unwarranted attention.

Kor took the boy by the shoulder protectively and urged him forward into a side alley. There was panic in his voice as muttered. "Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time… I'd move along if I were you." He warned Jak, but before the man was able to get clear of the area as most of the elves had tried to, they were cut off. Harry cast his eyes behind him to see that more were coming in from all sides, herding those not able to hide into a group.

They were in the middle of a raid.

_Shit._

"By order of his eminence, the Grand Protector of Haven City, Baron Praxis, everyone in this sector is hereby arrested for suspicion of harboring Underground fugitives. Surrender and die." The guard a point, the Captain, shouted to the thirty civilians they had gotten.

Harry's hands clenched at his sides causing pain to shoot up his arms. He was well hidden in the shadow of the alley, the guards walking right by him as they pushed the elves into a large group. "Uh, excuse me good Sir…" Harry's eyes snapped back to Jak to see that Daxter owned the nervous voice. He was standing between the guard and Jak. "Don't you mean surrender or DIE?" the last part came out in a yell.

The elderly elf took a step back hiding the boy behind him. "Not in this city." He whispered to Jak. "Protect us from these guards and I'll introduce you to someone who can help you."

Jak considered the man, but nodded turning to the ring of guards with grim determination. Harry's body tensed against the concrete wall ready to attack the guards closest to him, but a firm shake of Jak's head told him stay. Tense seconds passed as the first guard reached to hand cuff Jak.

The world exploded in fists, crunching metal, gun fire, and Daxter screaming. The elves, taking advantage of the distraction, scattered. They dipped under guards arms, through gaps, and into alleys. In a flurry of sand and broken concrete a transport ship hovered over head. Harry's hair whipped at his face dangerously as thirty or more guards were dropped into the fray. It was then that Harry made his attack. He leapt out of the alley slamming his shoulder into a guard holding sandy haired elf at gun point. The guard, taken by the force, fell hard to the ground.

"There is another one!" Shouted the guard. "Fire, fire, fire!"

The human ducked under the volley of bullets that came at him and took the incoming guards with a vengeance. Adrenaline rushed through his veins and propelled the thin and broken boy into combat. His body was not strong enough, not at the moment, to take on the guards that were coming at him. It was blur and he didn't quite understand how they kept dropping around him. His hand bled profusely as he wrenched it out of one guard's visor to tackle another reloading his Blaster. Hands came out of now where and grabbed his arms tightly while slamming a metal enclosed forehead against his. His head spun and he stumbled into white hot pain. The current ripped through his muscles with vigor and sent him to his knees. A force slammed into his back causing him to slam to the ground; sand and gravel cuttng his neck and face.

Weight was added to either of his arms; they had him pinned.

"Jak!" Shouted Daxter dragging Harry's attention away from the guards on top of him to where he last seen Jak fighting. Daxter, clasped in the hands of a guard, was squirming and shouting out to a large group of K.G. Between their legs Harry was able to see that they had the blonde underneath a thin wire net.

The guards, realizing they now had the two contained, relaxed considerably. The captain kicked Jak in the side activating the net. He grunted as the surge swept over the net. It was that moment, however, that the man realized who exactly under the net. He whipped around to see the bloody human laying with two guards holding him down and a third with a rod targeted to his back. "… How the hell?" He muttered, and then shook his head with a laugh. "You two are the freaks from the prison? Feh," He kicked Jak again. "You're not that tough Eco freak."

The derogatory name 'Freak' wasn't an uncommon word to Harry. He had considered it to be his name when he was a toddler living with his family. He was a 'freak' to them because he was a wizard and a 'freak' to the elves because he was human. He had been called worse, it raised his ire, but it was never so serious that Harry would kill over it.

Jak on the other hand…

His body went stalk still, eyes narrowing on man who continually kicked him in the net, and teeth ground dangerously. Harry felt as if the air had suddenly become toxic, his throat seared by the electrified air. His skin tingled and burned just as it when he was near…

… _Shit. _

"May name _is Jak!" _His sentence became a roar. Dark Eco exploded in a wave of dark sparks and guards were thrown back by the surges. The blasts knocked into the guards that were holding him down allowing him to pull his hands free and protect his head from the pieces of concrete sent flying when the Dark Eco lashed the ground. Jak began to yell out in pain staggering around, the Dark Eco flaring out with him at the center. Everything seemed to stop as they watched the grotesque transformation. Jak's skin had gone the color of a corpse and hair stark white. He threw back his head with a loud agonized scream that turned into another roar. Teeth became fangs; nails became dagger like claws, and eyes soulless obsidian. The beast hunched its shoulders in pain, whimpering, and hands shaking from pain. Something black oozed from its hairline where horns broke through his scalp and from his finger nails.

Harry had never seen, never known, that the Dark Eco had created whatever it was before him. Most of the time, Harry had assumed the elf had died from his exposure. He was wrong. He was very wrong. He gathered back his senses and eyes fell on the immobile guards that stared in disbelief. He put the last of what he had into a right hook to the guard that held Daxter tightly. As he released the rodent Harry grabbed for him desperately but was only able to grab the creature's tail before he hit the ground. He winced as Daxter let out a yelp. That yelp, however, ignited the demon into frenzy.

It swung around arms spread wide and extended its claws. It lunged at the group of guards and began to rip at them. Harry ducked between the running guards, Dark Eco surges, and bullets with Daxter held tightly by his tail.

"Turn! Turn, turn, turn!" Shouted Daxter as Harry was forced to skid and fell back as the demon launched himself and a guard right before him. The human had time to comprehend the fact that Jak ripped the man's neck with his teeth before the demon leapt to another guard. Harry scrambled back to his feet and narrowly dodged an energized bullet to face as he did so. He threw himself out of the fray into the wall dropping Daxter to the ground as he did so. His body wrung with pain as he slid down watching the massacre unfold before him.

He had seen a lot in his time in this world. He had done some things he wasn't proud of, but can't say he regretted. He had killed guards and would be damned if he felt sorry for it. He fought with the training he was given, the strength, and speed the drugs gave him. He tore a man's heart through his chest without a thought, but this…

_This _was horrific.

Yeah, Jak had changed a lot in the last year.

The guards were taken down in a matter of minutes once Jak had changed into the Dark Eco creature. Their bodies, and body parts, littered the blood coated street. Harry was forced to cover his eyes when the small dots of black that splattered against the guards burst into purple fire. The skin, bone, and armor was engulfed and incinerated instantly. Harry felt his body react to the Eco just as it had to the green.

He was on fire.

The purple fire was gone in a flash, leaving no evidence of what the beast had done. No blood, nothing. Silence crept along the street. "H-Hey –Short Ears, you okay? Uh, buddy?" He felt a furry hand shake his shoulder. He, dazed by the suddenly release of Eco, blinked at him. He used the wall to get back to his feet and searched for the demon. It was in the center of the street still, stalled in its movement, and stared down at the concrete. Harry didn't dare approach the creature, just being ten feet from it Harry thought he was going to keel over from the Eco radiation. It snarled suddenly, hands snapping to its temples, and it staggered away.

The black horns receded with the nails and his skin rapidly gained color. His eyes snapped shut tightly before opening again to reveal blue. Daxter moved forward Jak. There was no fear this time, but awe instead. "Cool!" He shouted with a grin. "Do it again!"

Harry stared at Daxter with disbelief. He wasn't concerned about this?

He thought it was… _cool? _

"Idiot…" Harry breathed.

Jak responded harshly to his friend's lack of concern or consideration. His dark blue eyes narrowed on him, his voice strained. "Something… Is happening to me… Something he did." His shoulders relaxed suddenly, pain gone, and his voice dropped back to normal. "I can't control it."

Harry stepped forward no longer feeling the wave of head-spinning Eco. Jak gave him a confused, almost scared look, before it faded as Kor's voice came from their right. "Very impressive and interesting…"

The human turned to face the elderly elf that didn't spare him a glance as he stared at Jak with a hand to his chin. It reminded the human of the way that scientists looked at Harry in Invisera; considering him as a rare find, a rare _commodity_ not a person. It made a scowl creep onto his features while Jak tried to collect himself.

"Ahh, Jak…" Daxter muttered to the doubled over elf. "You okay?" Concern now showed as he realized the severity of what just happened.

Jak shook his head back and forth standing straight and tried to calm his breathing. Kor motioned to the child standing beside him. Harry, expected to see him traumatized by what just happened, found the boy staring at both of them with awe and… admiration?

It threw Harry for a moment.

"What you two just did was very brave." Kor nodded approvingly. "This child is important."

The two Invisrins and ottsel looked down to the small child. He waved at them with the innocents only a child his age could pull off. Daxter moved toward the kid skeptically. "This kid? He looks… Scruffy." This scared the child and he covered his face with his hands as if Daxter was going to attack him. When Daxter only poked him, he calmed down instantly. Before Kor could answer him a guard in what Harry assumed to be a combat-made air vehicle descended on them. Harry tensed for another fight just as Jak did, but the guard merely said with an edged voice. "You are in a restricted sector – move along." With that he flew off without a word. The child glaring at the cruiser as it swept down the street.

Not scared by a demon that created a blood bath to burn away the evidence in purple fire, scared by a two foot rat that talked, and glaring at Krimzon Guards… The kid was definitely something else.

Then Harry realized he was in the open air. Covered in dried blood and wearing a prison uniform. "… He is either incredibly stupid…" Harry started.

"… Or incredibly smart." Finished Jak with a lopsided grin.

Kor turned back to them. "Thank you for your help, but I must get this child to safety." He ushered the child away as he waved good-bye to them.

Harry stepped in Kor's way with hard eyes as Daxter shouted. "Hey! What about us!" The human shook his head expecting the information he had promised them if they saved them from the guards. The elderly man bade them closer searching the alley for invading ears. He spoke quickly and in a low whisper.

"There is an Underground group waging war against Baron Praxis," Kor told them. "It's leader, The Shadow, could use fighters like you." He motioned to both Harry and Jak. "Go further into the Slums. Find a dead-end alley near the north city wall and ask for Torn. He can help you." With that Kor gave them a final nod and disappeared into the alleyways and from their view.

Harry let out a sigh. "… That was helpful." He rasped annoyed.

Jak grimaced. "… Well, if they are fighting against the Baron. Might as well give it a shot. We don't exactly have a world of options before us."

Daxter piped up suddenly. "So… Wolfie, what's your name?"

They seemed to have silently agreed not to talk about what had just happened with the Dark Eco.

The human cast the rodent a side long glance. "My name is Harry…" His voice was still incredibly hoarse from the lack of use. He found it almost hard to force his vocal chords back into action. "… What the hell did you call me?"

"Well," The rodent surmised. "The way you were growling back there you sounded like a friggin' Croca-Dog. I can call ya' Croky if you want." He grinned impudently at him. "Harry, huh? Okay then." He nodded. "We go that way and we get to the north wall. Probably find it easy enough…" He trailed off placing a pensive had to his chin.

"These walls," Jak asked suddenly. "What are they for? Kor sounded as if there was no passage in or out of the city." He had started to walk in the direction Daxter had pointed too.

Daxter nodded. "They are security walls. Nothing gets in or out without the right paperwork… What now?" He complained as Jak stopped in his tracks.

Harry cast him an inquisitive look, but Jak pointed up to the sleek machines over head. "Those are like Keira's A-Grav zoomer, right?"

The rodent nodded. "Yeah, but they are really different – er, better I guess." He shrugged.

"Think we could barrow one or two?" He ventured.

Harry saw where this was going.

"… Uh… maybe?" Daxter answered uncertain, missing it completely.

"… For one." Harry rasped dragging their attention back to him. "I've never ridden a… zoomer? Two, I couldn't take anymore damage." He motioned down to his bloody, broken, bruised, and gashed body. Daxter let out a whistle seeming to realize that not all the red on his clothes was someone else's blood.

Jak's lips twisted for a moment, but only nodded. A grin that Harry had only ever seen him give the training sergeant he'd beaten in the Arena once spread across his lips. The shadow of a large zoomer, easily able to fit four, passed over them. Suddenly, without warning, Jak crouched and leapt up. He grabbed the side of the zoomer, making the driver swivel with an oath. Jak grabbed his collar with both hands and tossed him easily out of the machine and onto a large collection of garbage bags. Jak brought the machine to hover inches off the ground with a triumphant grin and leaned causally on the side.

Harry crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk and couldn't help but applaud the elf. Daxter, however, was less then enthused.

"ARE YOU INSANE?


	9. Wrong Person to Ask

**Faithless:** Here's chapter nine – It's going to be an incredibly short chapter and I would appreciate any reviews for it : ) I just realized something… Chapter Nine of this version is chapter seven on the other version. The next chapter is going to be very long, I promise.

**Reviewer Response: **

**ALIJJ: **I didn't know it was there until you mentioned it. As I said, I had someone else post it for me early because I got a lot for chapter seven.

**Salamander Hanzo: **… Lol?

**Nostalgic Beauty: **Well I'm glad you still like it : )

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Semi-Automatic

Part II: Losing It

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**Chapter Nine: **_Wrong Person to Ask_

Reckless driver didn't even begin to describe what Jak was. Maybe _'insane?_' or '_suicidal?_' hell, '_blood thirsty' _was definitely a contender. Jak had experience with zoomers, that certain, but not with the kind they were in. He had started off testing the wheel, the reaction time, and the acceleration at a decent speed while it to avoid trouble. Once Jak got a handle on the machine it was another story completely.

To their luck there was a map inside the dashboard of the zoomer that Daxter knew how to use. Daxter called out where they wanted to go and a small green dot appeared on the far side. They were represented as a flashing red triangle at the far left of the screen. The ottsel began to press a set of buttons that started the tutorial for new drivers. An electronic voice began explain the '_Haven Transport System' _and the rules traffic, which the three pointedly ignored, and ended with something about switching between Hover Zones. The voice, however, forgot to mention what the difference between Hover Zone A and Hover Zone B was. So, when Daxter pressed the button, the sudden fifty foot drop that caused Harry's stomach to launch into his throat wasn't so expected.

Or the crunch of metal as Daxter had brought the machine down on a Krimzon Guard.

It was then that Harry checked off vehicular homicide their ever growing list of crimes. The elf made a point of reversing over the guard and then slamming on the pedal to speed head long into a large patrol before backing again and spinning the zoomer one-eighty and taking off into the alleys. As K.G Bikes came after them from above and the guards on the ground below, the novelty of the Hover Zones quickly wore off. The constant up and down motion had his stomach either in his throat or his feet while he was jerked forward, back, and the sides.

The K.G, after an hour, finally gave up on the chase. Harry was sure they probably had another few of cleaning up the remains of their fellow soldiers. He had to admit he felt the same surge of satisfaction hearing the screeching of metal against metal when Jak ran over one. He didn't wear the same _I-really-enjoyed-that_ grin on his face, but the feeling was mutual.

Even Daxter smirked. All around hate for the K.G.

Jak brought the zoomer to a halt at the edge of a large plaza. He leaned back in his seat and chuckled running a hand through his hair. "Heh, so think the guy wants this back?"

Between the red stains on the hull, the dents caused by clipping the sides of buildings, and the holes from the bullets even Harry didn't want to thing. He shook his head amused as he stepped out of the damaged machine, only glad to feel terra ferma under him.

He had officially lost his love for flying.

It was then a chill settled in him. He began to absently rub his arms for warmth. The wind striking his bare skin felt like a million pinpricks across his arms, hands, face, and cells had always been cold, but it was a stale cold. This was the damp, humid, stinging cold of the coast. Jak noticed this action. He didn't say anything, but began to fish around in his pockets.

"Er… I didn't think I'd need two pairs of clothing. No offence Wolfie, but I was planning on only breaking one guy out." Daxter said apologetic.

Harry once again didn't feel the urge to respond verbally. He shrugged a shoulder and then noticed that Jak was now holding white wrappings in his hands. The same type that were wrapped around Harry's fingers and up to his elbow. "I was going to use them as bandages," Jak explained placing them in Harry's broken fingers. "But, I doubt you want to walk around here with bare feet..." He considered Harry for a long time. "These should help till we can get you some actual shoes and clothes."

The human nodded his head and moved back to the zoomer. He sat in the seat and began to wrap his feet tightly. He had to admit his ankle, which he was sure was sprained or broken, felt considerably better with the pressure.

"… You are in some shape." Daxter spoke up suddenly. "You lose a fight or something?"

Jak cast his eyes to Daxter for a moment, but returned to looking at the alley they stopped beside. Harry knew that Jak assumed it was the guards. He had no doubt the 'beatings' weren't just something saved for him. A test of his healing ability, a guard laughed while breaking Harry's arm once, to see how much he could take.

In truth?

Harry had no idea what he had caused himself or what the guards had done.

He wasn't about to say that.

"Talkative one isn't he?" Muttered Daxter.

The hairs on the nape of his neck suddenly rose with a wave. His head snapped up to the alley with an alert look. The dead end alley had been free of people before hand; no soul in sight except for those in the plaza. Two elves had suddenly appeared at the end of the alley. Standing in the middle was a man with rust colored hair, hard eyes, tattoos, and a stern set face. He was talking quietly on a communicator to a voice that sounded distinctly like the elderly man Kor. Jak's shoulders squared as he, too, noticed the sudden appearance of the two. Neither of them liked to be caught of guard.

The blonde woman noticed them first. She was, other than her platinum blonde hair, hidden in the shadow of the building. "No point in hiding you now…" Jak said under his breath as the woman alerted the second to their presence and both were staring at Harry with slight alarm.

Harry stood up and followed Jak and Daxter as they came down the alley. "We're looking for a man named Torn. Kor sent us… um… Are you… Torn?" Jak's words came out spaced as the man came closer to him than the elf was comfortable with.

Daxter piped up. "Maybe he's a mute, like you used to be."

The man's eyes snapped to Daxter for a moment with the expression any sane person would give a talking rat. The blonde rolled his eyes as the man stepped back. "New faces make me nervous." He told them. "Word is," He clasped his hands behind his back the way a soldier would and circled Jak, Daxter, and Harry. "You three are out to join the fight for the city. You know picking the wrong side could be… unhealthy." He raised an eyebrow as he took in Harry's battered form. The human kept his face neutral and dared him to say anything. Hopefully the dried blood covered up what the uniform was.

The elf was dressed in a blue tunic with brown elbow pads and bits of over lapping metal armor. At his neck sat a metal contraption that Harry couldn't identify with cords running under his arms to his back. Twin leather holsters crossed at his waist and were both filled with Eco-pistols. It set the human on edge, but he kept his face calm.

"We want to see the Shadow." Jak demanded point to himself and Harry.

Torn's eyes shot to him briefly before letting out a chuckle. "Not likely. If you wanna join something, why don't you two and your pet go join the circus?"

Harry and Jak took the insult for what it was, but Daxter was about to tell the man exactly where he could do with himself, but was halted when the man pulled out a wickedly curved dagger. He ran his thumb down the curve and cast his eyes back to them with a devious hint. "Heh, unless you've got the fur for a really tough task…" He paused. "Steal the Baron's banner from the top of the ruined tower and bring it back to me. Then? Maybe we'll talk." He tossed the weapon up and snatched out of the air at the end of his sentence.

Jak moved forward to ask where the tower was, but Daxter stopped him. "C'mon – This way." He pointed back down the dim-lit alley. They headed away from the two and back to the parked zoomer.

"That was bloody specific," Rasped Harry annoyed. "Where the hell is that?" He asked the elf who just shrugged.

"Don't look at me – I've been here as long as you."

Daxter let out a frustrated sigh. "You two are hopeless. The guy probably thinks that you are from Haven City and let's keep it that way. I know where we need to go, but… We should get some money for clothes for you." He glanced to Harry.

The human raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you are actually useful."

Daxter leaned forward on Jak's shoulder growling lightly. "Oh? And what can you do, Wolfie?" He demanded scornfully.

Harry couldn't suppress the dark grin that crept along his blood spattered face. "I can snap your neck."

The ottsel immediately backed down gulping nervously.

Jak suddenly let out a sharp laugh. "Can say I saw this coming. Dax," He dragged his attention away from Harry. "Which way is it?"

He pointed down toward the south edge of the plaza. "Through there."

The short ride between the alley and air-lock wasn't filled with any high-speeds chases, but the fast-talking rodent was able to cram months of bug extermination duties into the twenty minute drive. Harry wasn't particularly interested in hearing about large insect queens or the infestation in the Haven subway, but it was mildly entertaining. Although, the number of bugs kept rising at certain parts of his stories. Jak, not all bothered by the inconsistency, half listened with a smirk. Taking a final turn into another dead alley Jak eased off the acceleration to bring the zoomer to a stop. Harry stepped out of the vehicle without a word to the two and walked over to the edge of a large hole in the street. Below him was an airlock door, the door, it seemed, was the only thing in the Slums to have routine maintenance. The human slid down the bottom carefully avoiding his ankle and right arm and headed toward the door. The metal, unlike the buildings, looked less than a year old. Barely any rust had accumulated on the panels or gears.

Once they existed the airlock Jak let out a whistle as Daxter said. "This is Dead Town."

"Place fits the name." Commented Jak taking in the ruined buildings before him.

The human had to agree. Dead Town was what one would assume it would look like. At one time it could have been something grand, but it was now decaying and shattered. The sea water, once held back by a wall, had flooded the entire sector. Vines crawled across the ruins while glass, wood, and stone covered the entire sector. To Harry's relief the air seemed fresher, but the heavy scent of decay still lingered.

"Uh," Daxter started nervously. "They say this place is haunted…"

Harry picked his footing carefully as the mud was littered with sharp rocks and glass. Jak snorted at his friend shaking his head. "Ghosts aren't real, are they Harry?" The elf raised a green eyebrow over his shoulder, wanting Harry to back up the silliness of the idea.

The sudden image of Nearly Headless Nick popping through the Gryffindor table in his first year flashed before him. "I'm really the wrong person to ask."

Jak suddenly stopped in his tracks and had his eyes locked on something to their right. Harry, having looked up in time and not walked head long into the elf, grimaced at him. He jerked his head toward a trio of frog reptilian… things. They were scratching at the dirt and jumping after flies that darted to close. Their eyes were going in separate directions akin to a chameleon. "That." He answered Harry's unasked question.

Daxter tsked thoroughly unimpressed. "Awe, c'mon. Those things are nothing!"

The elf gave him a dull glare. "Then you won't mind clearing them for us?" He placed both hands on his hips expectantly.

"N-nah." Daxter suddenly gained a confident air. "I wouldn't want to make you two feel worthless – Hey what the are you…"

While Daxter had been stammering Harry walked out toward the creature. He wound up the way a football player would and landed a solid kick to its side. It squealed as it sailed through the air and hit the brown water. To Harry's slight surprise and twisted amusement it actually _popped _once it hit the surface. He turned back to the two and felt a small smirk tug at his lips.

"Ten points!" Daxter laughed holding up both his hands with a grin.

The rest of the way to the banner was easier than Harry had expected for a 'really tough task.' They only ever ran across a few more of the green frogs or their orange and white counterparts that lashed out with their tongues when they came to close. They were considerably tougher than the green frogs, but just as stupid. As the moon rose to the middle of the starlit sky Harry found the temperature dropping yet again. His breath came out in clouds and his open wounds stung with the bite of icy air. The wizard once again came up behind Jak as they walked across a narrow stone bridge over a deep sludge filled pit.

"I'd hate to be the poor bastard that falls in –" The unmistakable sound of cracking rock came from directly underneath them abruptly cut Daxter off. Harry and Jak both went stalk still staring at their feet with wide eyes. Harry's eyes slid across the ten foot gap between them and the nearest ledge. Their eyes met for a moment and they both threw themselves over the gap. They landed safely as the bridge disappeared into the pit.

Jak had landed on his side, tucking his shoulder in to absorb the fall. Harry had landed on his feet and cringed as his calves absorbed the shock. His body couldn't take much more of this…

"Well… That was entertaining." Jak muttered brushing the dirt off his tunic and pants. "You alright?"

Harry nodded, but had already started toward a pathway of broken platforms. "I don't think," He rasped pointing to them. "These will be so thrilling. They'll fall through when we stop on them."

Jak considered this and then motioned for him to go. "You go first. You're lighter than me."

Daxter snorted. "Sure Jak, send the malnourished, skinny human guy first. Sheesh, such compassion." He shook his head in mock disappointment.

The blue eyed elf said pointedly. "He doesn't have armor or extra weight."

"… You callin' me fat?" He demanded accusingly.

If he could, Harry would have laughed at this. Instead he decided to test the crumbling block. He steadied himself as bits fell into the sludge below them. He cast his eyes over his shoulder and nodded silently to Jak. The elf followed behind him quickly as the steps crumbled only seconds after he had gained footing on them. The came to the final ledge and Harry spotted the red banner flapping in the breeze. Harry watched as Jak picked out of the ground and struck a triumphant pose for the hell of it, Daxter grinning from ear to ear.

The human joined them on the edge and for the second time that night, the rock gave way beneath them. Daxter let out a loud wail while the two Invisrins had enough presence of mine to lung forward with the last of the solid ground. They hit a tarp; Jak was forced upward and onto a cable to slide toward the end. Daxter landed rather painfully before being shot across the bay to the ground where Jak had landed safely.

Harry wasn't so lucky. He had hit the tarp and been vaulted forward, not up. His fingers clasped around a pole, but he lost his grip and fell into the water. Luckily, he had avoided the sludge and hit plain water. He pulled himself to the shore line, coughing and sputtering the rank water from his mouth and fell on to his back breathing hard. His open wounds stung furiously sending tendrils of pain through out his entire from. His body shuddered with exhaustion and the thought of taking a spontaneous nap, being it because he passed out or not, sounded like a good idea.

He didn't know how much longer he could keep pushing himself to keep up with Jak

It was just like back then.

This time Jak wasn't going to bail him out.

"Heh, wrong place to take bath, Bud." Daxter said somewhere to his left.

Harry just snarled hearing the gravel as Jak came closer to where he laid with his lower half still in the water. The water crashing up against his side causing fresh waves of pain to burn on his torso.

"Torn said we are in." Jak told him standing at his head. "...You look like a drowned Metal Head."

He scowled. "Go fuck yourself."


	10. Barely Anything

**Faithless: **Heh, so I'm tired… and I lied… this won't be a long chapter – But in my defense I'm giving you two in one week!

**Reviewer Response:**

**The Beckster: **Not a typo, Jak was talking to Harry.

**Salamander Hanzo: **I don't even know how to respond to that anymore lol

**Nostalgic Beauty: **Harry was exposed to **'It'** back then, but not in Haven Prison. It's recessed – wakes up as we go because Haven City is full of '**It' **and so is Jak.

**ALIJJ: **Was the grammar that bad – Cause I need people to tell me these things so I can fix it, lol.

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Semi-Automatic

Part II: Losing It

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**Chapter Ten: **_Barely Anything_

He did it.

Against every bleeding laceration, salt-water soaked abrasion, and brutally divorced bone…

He did it…

And he was going to hell for it.

_Walking_ shouldn't have been this_ hard_.

Harry was covered in hot sweat and yet shivered from the frigid water that dampened his clothes. The adrenaline had deserted him; leaving barely enough to place one foot in front of the other. When he dared to open his eyes colours swirled together in something akin to a Picasso painting he'd seen in a trip to a museum as a child. Noses where eyes should have been, things missing, and smeared together in a jumbled mess.

"… Ar..ry?" He heard someone call his name brokenly. His heart was in his ears while his head pulsed with the pain of someone having struck with a hammer. He had made it three feet before a wave of pain took his legs out from under him and sent him into the wall. He didn't know if he was going to be able to make it another two feet let alone to the entrance across the alley.

He glared at the green graffiti-ridden wall.

It was mocking him.

"… Pain… Look at – think… Should he…" Another broken sentence made it through before he felt hands on his shoulders.

Panic swept clear through as Harry slipped out. Those hands were the guards; they wanted to take him back to the chair. They wanted to burn his insides with fire and suffocate him with concrete. Fear gripped him tightly as he spun around to face the assailant. Like a cornered animal he lashed out, snarling dangerously, and dared them to come closer. The gaunt face of Jak suddenly replaced the armored guards as Harry came back reality. He sucked desperate breaths between his lips forcing his mind straight and quickly looked away to hide his embarrassment. "Don't… touch me." He shook his head back and forth vigorously.

"You can barely walk." Jak told him sternly, but kept his distance. "Should I just leave you out here and come back for you?" He was obliviously annoyed.

Harry suddenly wanted to laugh. _There it is. _He thought wearily.

One thing that had always bothered Harry, even if he was grateful, was how protective Jak had always seemed. He had said it was more 'selfish' than 'selfless' but it never sat well with Harry.

This was what he had expected from the beginning.

But… Harry owed Jak.

The human straightened out his abused back and pointed to the graffiti marked door. Jak took this as to head in and did so letting out a frustrated sigh. Harry followed slowly as the door retracted into the wall and allowed them access to a narrow, but brightly lit, stairwell. Harry's breathing was labored, but he at least he was able to use close walls to support himself. He already felt like a fool stumbling around and his sudden inability to walk down stairs wasn't helping.

He shivered again, the last wisps of the night air catching him across his soaking back.

It was then that something dawned on the human.

He was wet.

The realization came a little too late. At the bottom of the stairwell Jak had already passed through the threshold and exposed both himself and Harry to the light of the hidden base. The human limped slowly through the door and stopped just short of the edge of the bunk beds. The base wasn't exactly what he had expected, but he supposed it was what they had to work with. A furnace crackled at the back of the room offering little warmth while the back wall was plastered with posters. He recognized some of the men in the posters but others were maps of the city that he could barely decipher.

Torn, as Harry remembered his name to be, was leaning with both hands on the table when Jak came in. Another man was there; his dark eyes darting to them immediately before he turned back to Torn. In the dark light of the alley Harry had noticed the man had tattoos on his face, but he hadn't seen the pattern or the blue color – both of which were familiar. Harry tried to connect the feeling, but failed miserably as his legs burned intensely reminding him that they weren't going to hold much longer. He wrapped his green fingers around a wooden bed post to keep himself steady and out of the light hanging over head.

The dark eyed elf nodded curtly to Torn and turned abruptly toward Harry and Jak. He moved past Jak without a second thought, but paused briefly on Harry. He opened his mouth to say something, but the look on Harry's face cut him short. He closed his mouth and headed through the door. A slight relief came over Harry, but it was short lived as Torn spoke.

"There are some rules you'll need to know and a few questions to answer…"

He cast his eyes back to the man to see that he was staring at him expectantly. Jak let out a quiet oath and opened his mouth to spit out some quick excuse. Harry let out a resigned sigh and limped forward into the light. His clothes and injuries fully exposed in the harsh light. "Yes, I'm an escaped convict – Anything else?" His voice held a bitter tone despite his detached expression.

A small smirk tugged at the corner of Torn's lips. "As I was saying, the Underground works like this…" He stood straight and observed the odd trio before him. "You'll be paid and given room and board for missions you complete. You'll keep this location and organization between yourselves if you want to live past the week." He warned lightly. "I have a mission for you at the moment, but…" He cast his eyes to Harry briefly. "Since you can't exactly run around the city like that I'll give you four hours before I brief you. Be back up here by then."

He gave them a dry look. "I don't care much for those that decided to sell us out to the Baron."

Jak snorted. "You don't have to worry about that."

"Up here?" Daxter suddenly piped up. "Sorry but there isn't much to this place."

Without looking at them he slipped his hand under the table. A small click the back wall slid back and to the right revealing an open elevator. Jak, Daxter, and Harry shared a look, but Harry limped forward to the elevator. Once inside he was joined by the two and the door slid shut. The ground below him started to drop at an alarmingly fast rate and before he had a chance to think the door had already opened to a long white hallway.

A kid, barely eleven, looked up to them as they came out. He had dark blue spiked hair with a blue zip up jacket and black knee length shorts with various chains. He gave them a once over before asking. "You must be the new guys that Tess was talkin' about." Once again eyes halted on Harry. "er.." He pointed over his shoulder. "I was gonna say you were lucky there are still some rooms – But do you want me to show you to the medical floor?"

"Just… Need to sleep." He rasped.

"Uh.. okay." The boy turned away from them and began to lead them down the long hallway. "Here," He pointed to a door marked 206. "There is another down the hall a bit, 209, it is still free. There are some clothes in the dresser that Tess left for ya, take 'em." He told them before heading down the hall and disappearing into a conjoining hallway.

Wanting nothing more than to change out of the uniform and possibly sleep for a bit, Harry turned away from Jak and Daxter to head to the 209 room. "See you in awhile Wolfie," Daxter called over Jak's shoulder disappearing into the room.

Jak, however, didn't follow him. "Harry…"

The tired human turned back to Jak. "Look," He rasped closing his eyes. "If I'm holding you back or –"

There was an amused chuckle. "Just go to bed." Harry snorted lightly, but Jak ignored it. "We made a deal, remember?" With that Jak left a confused human alone in the hallway.

"What deal?" Harry muttered.

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- 0 -

The cold burn of hot water across frozen caused a brief hiss to pass through Harry's lips. After a moment of sheer agony, the warm water beat his sore muscles into submission. He relaxed his shoulders and ran his broken hand through his hair with a semi-content sigh. He would have liked to stay in there for hours scrubbing a years worth of dirt and blood off his skin, but his body had drastically different idea. He didn't want to think of how long it had been seen he had shower. He dropped his emerald eyes watching the swirl of brown and red flow down the drain and away from him. His eyes moved over to his left forearm, the black ink immune to the water, and let out a sigh.

The water could wash away the dirt, but it couldn't take away the scars.

He stepped out of the faded glass stall into the white tiled bathroom. No longer in front of the red sensor, the water cut off abruptly. He grabbed the towel he had left on the small sink and ignored the shreds of clothes he had removed before going in.

Harry stole a glance at the fog ridden mirror he had pointedly avoided walking into the bathroom. What did he look like now? Did he really want to see what he had become?

He let out a snort and shook his head. It was just his appearance. He needed to assess his injuries anyway, he told himself with a nod, to see how bad they really were. He raised the towel in his hand and swiped it across the glass. He thought, in the back of his head, he was ready to see anything in that mirror.

He was very wrong.

The sixteen year old human looking back at him was pasty white with purple, green, and yellow splotches splattered across his face, torso, shoulders, and arms. Thin to large scars scrapped across his biceps, chest, and a horizontal scar across the bridge of his nose. His hair was choppy and hung just brushing the nape of his neck. The unfortunate result of a prison hair cut. The teen's frame was gangly, thin, and his skin stretched across his bones; ribs visible and his face cadaverous.

The eyes staring back at him were alarming as they were familiar. He had been told once that his eyes, the same sterling emerald as his Mother, were like a gate way into his emotions. They screamed every thought that was coming through the boy's mind at any given moment.

Now they were inscrutable.

Vivid green had lead way to a dark hunter green that gave nothing. No emotion, no intent, just _nothing_. He had seen these eyes on his god-father; the eyes of someone that had seen too much. Sirius, however, still seemed to smile, laugh, and even joke. Harry was shut off. He could barely feel relieved to be free – It was just how it was.

And he looked nothing like his father.

He had been told constantly '_You look just like your Father, but with your Mother's eyes.' _He didn't look proud, he didn't look valiant. He just looked broken.

Harry dropped his eyes to his chest, bringing his hand up to slid across the five long scars that stream across. The memory of the Metal Head that had attacked him wasn't fresh in his mind, but he had a constant reminder of it. Before his healing ability, one that had left him awhile ago, had healed them and left no evidence.

The whip marks reminding him of Invisera, the bullet wound in his side the first night there, and the deal Jak made with him in the aftermath.

The human let out a small oath as it came back to him.

_The deal. _

He knew he should have felt angry that he'd forgotten, but he couldn't bring himself to feel anything more than exhausted. Shaking his head he brought his hand up to examine the purple/greenish fingers then the rest of the wounds on his body.

He didn't know when it started, but it had been going on a long time. He would slip out for hours on end and wake either strapped to his cot or laying in a heap on the floor of his cell bloody and beaten. At first he had assumed that the guards had taken the liberty of beating him when he couldn't fight back, but he soon realized that wasn't exactly true.

The first time he woke up in the middle of an episode he had been, to his shock and disbelief, clawing at himself and biting at his hand to rip large chunks out. Looking at the condition he was in, he had a feeling this was the result of one of his more violent episodes. Silently he hoped that they would stop now he was out of the cell…

He truly wasn't that lucky.

Tearing his eyes away from the stranger looking back at him he walked out of the bathroom to small bedroom. It didn't consist of much. A simple green and white bed, a dresser, and a nightstand with an alarm clock made up the main of the room. He limped slowly over to the bed where he had laid out the clothes that might fit from the dresser. With effort he began to cycle through the pants and shirts for something that didn't hang limply against his skeletal frame. It took him nearly twenty minutes to change, but he had at least accomplished that without passing out.

He settled on a tighter turtle neck beater with a thick black zipper running from the collar to the hem. The pants, held up by black leather belt, were black in color and the hems just brushed the floor. He was thankful for the calf-high boots that allowed him to tuck the pants in. He didn't want to trip over his clothing of all things while fighting. Unsatisfied with having the scars on his arms exposed to the world, he limped back over to the dresser and searched for a jacket or over-coat of some sort. He found a thin grey jacket with red accents on the side and a black hood. He pushed his sore limbs through the sleeves and found that it fit perfectly.

Now satisfied, he limped back into the bathroom to take care of the prison garment he had left haphazard on the floor. He collected the shredded mess and tossed it into the rubbish bin, mildly wondering if he could burn it in the tin bin. He turned to toss the red scarf with the rest, but stopped just short. He hooded his eyes and felt the fabric between his fingers. He couldn't destroy every part of it. He needed to have a reminder. Other than the scars or the memories, he needed a material reminder of what he had been through.

So he never forgot why he was standing there, at this moment, scarred and broken.

Slowly he coiled the scarf around his neck loosely and went back to bed room. He sat down on the edge of the bed and tossed himself back staring intently at the roof. He had cleaned his wounds, wrapped the most serious of the broken bones with the pale strips of cloth, and now he could sleep.

He didn't have to think of where he was for a brief moment or what was ahead of him. He didn't have to wonder why his body and mind felt so distant, why he felt so much older than he should have.

Tomorrow he'd do the mission Torn wanted; he stayed beside the elf in this hate fueled quest for revenge. He'd kill guards to make himself feel better, he would stay alive as long as he had too, and in the end he'd go out fighting.

His life had lost meaning a long time ago. He was a failed experiment, barely a human being…

He was barely anything.


	11. Flip Around Knockout

**Faithless: **Yeah, another short chapter – Kill me later. At least three reviews before I give you the massive chapter twelve.

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Semi-Automatic

Part II: Losing It

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**Chapter: **_Flip Around _

_Oh god my back… _

Was Harry's first thought as the last dregs of sleep faded from stiff limbs. The second was that the sharp buzzing in his room was annoying. He twisted his neck to stare at the blaring alarm clock. It flashed the time devilishly and continued to scream. Closing his eyes against the assault, he slammed the bottom of his fist down on the top. The blaring immediately stopped, but so did the flashing time. He cracked one eye open and let out a groan. He had left the screen splintered and the alarm dented with a fist sized hole. The black machine had crunched under his hand loudly, but he didn't think he broke it.

He relished in the silence for a few more moments before pushing himself into a sitting position. He hissed lightly as his back twisted and spasms ran up and down his muscles with alarming vigor. The pain in the rest of his body had resided to a dull ache, but it was still there; a little red devil that sat on his shoulder laughing at him as he tried to move. From his wrists to his shoulders, his chest to his stomach, his thighs to his ankles, his entire beaten body was covered in thin white strips of cloth. He vaguely thought he looked like a mummy, but the amusement of his private joke was short lived.

Rest hadn't been the miracle worker he had hoped for.

He felt worse than before.

The boy hunched over staring angrily at his purple and green fingers. He flexed them and felt the familiar sharp pain up his wrists and into his shoulders.

His exhaustion had been sated for the moment, but he was sure that if the alarm hadn't gone off, and his hearing wasn't comparable to a canine, he would have slept clear through the week. For the first time in his life he actually missed the healing ability he had once been so disgusted by. A broken bone took six seconds to heal, not six months. At first it just proved that he was changing… Now he just felt helpless without it.

Harry couldn't remember when his healing had just stopped, but it had been at least part way through his tenure as a prisoner. He could remember the first time his bones didn't just snap back into place, but it had been gone long before then.

He let out a miserable sigh clenching his hands tightly ignoring the tendrils of pain that numbed the tips of his fingers. Instinctively his hands trembled from pain, but he pointedly ignored it. He detached himself from the twisted sheets and swung his legs over the side. He pulled on his boots and buckled them quickly. As he stood he grabbed the coat he had thrown haphazard on the floor and the red scarf hanging off the night stand.

The human had ten minutes before his four hours was up. Slipping through his door he winced against the harsh white of the hallway. He watched a pair of Underground members walk past him without a second look as he coiled the red fabric loosely around his neck. The elves, along with their rather loud voices, disappeared around a corner seconds later.

"Hey – Look who has risen from the grave." An annoyingly high voice spoke from just up the hallway. Harry turned to see that Jak had also come out of his room. The young man stretched his arms above his head with a loud yawn. The voice, Daxter, smirked to Harry from the floor. He gave him an approving look. "Nice threads." He nodded, but raised his eyes to Harry's hair. "And bed head."

Harry scowled as he ran a hand through messy spikes of oil black hair. The one thing that had remained the same after these years was the untamable hair of a Potter.

"Do we have to go?" Daxter whined as he took his place on Jak's shoulder while Harry came to rest beside the blonde.

"Yes." He told him. "We do. Felling any better?"

Harry nodded mutely following Jak into the elevator. As the ground shifted and the lift shot up quickly Harry still felt stomach-in-feet sensation that flipped the contents of his stomach the first time. He stepped out into the dimly lit first floor. His eyes settled directly on the tall brown haired elf studying his maps religiously. He was concentrating intensely on a sector of the city labeled '_U.H' _and a paper in his hand. He traced through a small maze like pattern and then scribbled down something with a pen at the beginning and end. He placed a hand to his chin and squinted at the patterns as if trying to remember something.

Harry paused briefly and turned to look to Jak inquisitively. There was no way that the man could have missed the sound of the elevator coming up or the wall clicking back into place. Either he was so engrossed in his work he had or he was ignoring their presence.

In any other situation he would have announced his presence, but they needed information and connections. They needed to walk on glass for the moment, but when they had what they needed; they could smash around all they wanted.

Daxter, it seemed, missed the memo.

He leapt from Jak's shoulder and walked with his head held high toward a foul smelling pipe in the back wall. "Being a big hero sure makes 'ya thirsty,"

Jak rolled his eyes with a faint smirk on his lips while Harry was just annoyed with the antics of the talking rodent. Unlike Jak, he didn't miss the sudden smirk that had crawled across the tattooed man's lips as he continued to trace routes through the map.

Curiously Harry watched the ottsel turn the tap and jolted slightly as black ooze came rushing out into Daxter's eager mouth. Harry would have laughed if he remembered how to. The creature wheezed, sputtered, and gagged on the gunk. He scraped wildly at his tongue to free himself from the bitter taste that Harry had no doubt caused the tinge of green to develop on the normally orange fur.

"The Baron turned off all the water to the Slums." Torn explained simply, but never looked up from his papers.

Daxter glared at him muttered. "Sure _now _he says something."

Both Jak and Harry had a mutual feeling that he had planned it that way. There was no mirth, however, as anger broke through his inscrutable expression. "He's willing to sacrifice innocent lives just to destroy the Underground." It quickly slipped away and he traced a long line through what seemed to be an industrial complex. "I've seen his evil before, while serving in the Krimzon Guard. That's why I quit." He finished a shrug.

It was like a cold slap to the face. Neither Jak nor Harry had ever considered that Torn was an ex-K.G. Despite having spent a year in hell with them as their guards, they both were almost ashamed to admit they were slightly blindsided by the information.

"You were in the Krimzon Guard?" The human rasped unable to keep surprise from his voice.

At this the man raised his eyes to the three of them briefly before dropping them almost instantly. If Torn had assumed they were well informed, he probably didn't know.

"Oh, well…" Started Jak. "That explains your…" He searched for the right word. "Charming sense of humor." He crossed his arms over his chest with a lopsided grin directed at the man.

He ignored him. "My friend in the Krimzon Guard tells me that the valve to turn the water back on is outside the city at the Pumping Station." He motioned them forward toward the map he had been drawing on. Amidst the lines he had drawn, the runes he had written down, and buildings he had circled he pointed to sector disconnected from what Harry assumed to be Haven's walls.

Jak cast his eyes up to the Underground Commander skeptically. "Outside the city?" He echoed. "What about the Security Walls?"

Harry considered this and nodded in agreement. "We can't exactly climb over them without unwanted attention." He rasped, wincing, and placing a hand to his uncooperative throat. It was still raw and felt as if he had decided to swallow a bowel of razor blades.

"What about the Metal Heads!" Interjected Daxter. "It ain't no petting zoo out there! Peeps be getting' deep sixed!" He exclaimed making odd hands motions across his chest.

The older elf rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his now with an aggravated sigh. Harry assumed that Torn probably wouldn't have minded Daxter getting 'deep sixed' by some Metal Heads. "Find the large drainpipe in the North Wall. It will take you outside to the Pumping Station." He pointed to the edge of what looked like a water filled sector of the city. "Get to the main valve and open it. If you survive, the Slums will be indebted to you." He chuckled darkly. "If not, maybe we'll have a touching moment of silence in your honor."

Daxter growled under his breath. "I'd like to give him a 'touching' moment"

Jak nodded and scooped Daxter up by the neck to practically toss him to his shoulder. He followed behind Harry as he walked, with a light limp, to the concealed door and out into the streets of Haven City. Once again Jak used Daxter as a walking, talking, and whining map to the Water Slums.

Harry cast his eyes above them to see that the black had died away to a lighter blue as the rising sun was coming fast. He paused briefly on the small green spec that glittered harmlessly in the southern part of the sky.

_Green stars? _He thought to himself. _After everything I have seen… I can believe that. _His eyes traveled back to the zoomers that crawled lazily across the sky just meters above their heads. With each step his back gave a twinge of pain. Walking all the way to the Water Slums was definitely out of the question. He had seen Jak leapt twenty feet to catch a zoomer and he knew with his current condition that was out of the question. He was sorely tempted to tap on the teen's shoulder and point at one of them like a muted idiot, but a very enticing opportunity showed itself in the form of an impatient man.

A zoomer that resembled a twin canoe came soaring at them in the B Hover Zone despite the constants warnings shouted by the Guard. His second side was filled with leather bags and a suitcase. Jak was completely oblivious to the man or ignored him to listen to Daxter's directions, whatever the case, he merely side stepped it.

With the acrid taste of smog clogging his throat Harry whistled loudly. The piercing sound made Jak's hands snap to his ears and half the other elves in the area pause. The man behind the wheel of the zoomer did exactly what Harry wanted him to do – Take his hands off the wheels.

Timing was everything.

His hand snapped out and his fingers closed around the fabric the man's collar. He easily came free from his seat and landed on the ground with a heavy thud. The man shouted out in surprise. "Holy sh-" It was a abruptly cut off as he looked to Harry. Traces of fear washed across the Havenite's face, but the most of it was marvel. A skinny, bandaged, cadaverous looking _teenager _had just taken him clear off his vehicle.

"I suggest," Harry dropped his grip on the man's shirt as Jak caught the wheel of the rogue zoomer. "You get up and walk away." He never imagined himself, as a fourteen year old, to ever acquire the ability to intimidate someone with mere looks. Witches and wizards had been intimidated by his scar's legend, by the title of Boy-Who-Lived, but never by the half blind boy that bore both.

However, in this world, without a title, a name, or a scar – He was able to take what he wanted and make the man walk away without so much as a second look.

Jak wasn't the only one to have changed in the last two years.

Daxter stated. "Holy Precursors, you have a pair of lungs. Friggin' almost blew out my ear drums…" He muttered under his breath sticking a furry finger in his ear.

"Elves just have sensitive hearing." His voice was so gravel ridden that it almost didn't sound like his. "… And whatever the hell you are." He gave Daxter a one over before walking around to the other side of the zoomer. The ottsel shook his fist at him scowling, but left it where it was.

"Wanna give me warning next time?" Jak asked pointedly.

"… Sure." Harry gave Jak a non-committal nod.

* * *

- 0 -

The buildings in the Water Slums barley brushed the tops of the walls that surrounded the sector. They were as slapped together as the towering buildings they had just cleared, but stood on spindly logs that stuck out of brown water. The smog, not only still fresh in the air, was joined the foul burning sensation of polluted water. Harry wasn't so sure that he was ever going to be able to get used to stench that permeated the entire Red District of Haven City.

It wasn't the Water Slums that kept Harry's attention a Jak lowered the vehicle next to a warped wooden bridge, but the massive tower that jutted up from the middle of the city. Four large slightly bent support pillars rose up from the four corners of Haven City and connected to the central building with long thick wires.

"What is that?" Harry asked pointing toward the structure.

Jak cast his eyes over the wall while Daxter stood up on his shoulder. "That? That's Haven City Palace. That's where all the higher ups would be." He shrugged sliding back down on Jak's shoulder tiredly.

"So… If we got in there… The Baron would probably be there." The blonde considered as he extended his hand to help Harry from the vehicle.

"Pfft, if you could get in." Daxter rolled his eyes. "There's like this pass you have to get." He explained. "Even as badass as you two are, you can't get past a massive steel wall." He then added. "I heard that the winner of Grand Championship Race get's a tour of the Palace… But that's only what I heard."

Harry and Jak nodded to each other making a silent promise to remember that information. They slipped through the drain pipe and into the circular room of the airlock. Once the gears stopped spinning and the lock released a female voice spoke as they passed through.

"Leaving City at own risk."

"Cheerful." Muttered Daxter as they stepped into the morning air of the Pumping Station.

For the first time since he had been free of his cell, Harry could _breathe. _Once outside the city the smog and foul smell was instantly gone. The salty air of the ocean swept clear across the sandbar they stood on. Jak took in a deep breath and let out a sigh. Harry smirked at this, but it was quickly wiped away as the flash of yellow caught his eye and Daxter screamed.

"Jak! That's a Metal Head!"

The two spun around to face the direction Daxter was frantically pointing in. True to his word, a Metal Head Grunt was running towards them with jaws open and claws ready. The two dove to opposite sides as they Metal Head charged right past them. Harry's eyes snapped back up in time to see that three more Metal Heads had come up behind the elf.

"Behind you Ja-Ack!" He yelped in pain as the Metal Head sank its sharp teeth into his arm and pulled down. A bone-armored fist beat his chest and left him winded on the flat of his back. The Metal Head pinned him with its clawed hands and snapped savagely at his arm. Teeth scrapped across bone and Harry couldn't find the strength to push the monster back.

He still remembered his Invisera training, but he was missing a key factor. Strength. He forced his foot into the soft underbelly of the monster and pushed. Harry had expected the monster to let go of his arm as he flew back, not snap down harder and pull him with it. The human landed on top of the dazed Metal Head and for a moment paused. The beast stared at him blankly, but was met with a fist to the side of its head. Its grip released and Harry was able to take the creature into a head lock. He twisted with intent and a sickening snap crunch told him what he needed to know. The beast went limp and the gem slipped out into the purple blood soaked sand.

He heaved for air as his arm hung useless at his side. The punctures were down to the bone and restricted any movement of the limb. He swung his body around searching the sand bar for the blonde. He was standing near two pumps fighting three Grunts biting at his upper body while two snapped at his ankles.

A fourth coming at him from the shoreline.

Harry did the first thing that came to mind.

He rammed it. It was graceless, it was reckless, and it worked.

The Metal Head let out a squeal of surprise as the human came in contact with the side of it. Harry hit the ground slipping in the sand, but a loud splash told him it had cleared the sand bar and landed in the water. What Harry hadn't expected was the small tripod laser that came out of the water and fired several shots into the thing. His shoulder pulsed painfully, dislocated, and blood loss was once again threatening to take over.

The scene before him had stopped; the three Metal Head registered 'human' and came at him in frenzy.

"Crap…" Harry muttered, but resigned himself to death at that moment.

Jak wasn't having it.

He put himself between the Metal Heads and Harry and lashed out with a kick. The head spun around and it was dead before it hit the ground. He turned, livid, to Harry and ordered. "Get to the top!"

He didn't argue with elf as he got back to his feet. He crawled on top of one of the pumps and it shifted upward. He leapt onto the platform just as the pump went down and stumbled on the landing. He took in ragged breaths and tenderly felt the damage to his shoulder.

He faintly smirked as the fighting below began to die down.

He was, again, being saved by Jak.

Maybe he hadn't changed at all.

Because he was focused on his arm and his failure, he didn't hear the seventeen year old ride the pumps or come stalking across the metal platform. Because he had his eyes closed, he didn't see the fist. The hit was so quick, so forceful Harry was nearly taken off his feet. He was now staring at the large rock wall beside him with blood trailing down the side of his face. Slowly, almost in disbelief, Harry turned to face Jak.

The elf had escaped the Metal Heads relatively unscathed. A small laceration on his cheek healed over with a spark of purple electricity. His eyes were livid and his mouth twisted in anger. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He grabbed the human's collar with both hands forcing him forward.

Disbelief was replaced with fury. "I'm not like you, Jak!" He shouted. "I can't spend a year in prison and come out looking like I jut got convicted! I'm a human, remember! A weak, pathetic, Metal Head attracting human!" He scowled at Jak pushing his hands off his collar. "I knew what was wrong with me I wouldn't need you to bail my arse out every time!"

There was a long silence from Jak and Daxter looked between the two of them worried. Who was going to throw the next punch?

Harry or Jak?

"You idiot," Jak snapped. "I look like this because of Dark Eco. You don't have Dark Eco, I get that – And I envy you for it sometimes." His voice relaxed lightly as Harry stared at him bewildered. He shook his head back and forth. "I don't expect you to be able to keep up with me, not when I heal and you can't…"

He scowled at Harry suddenly. "You were going to just let them kill you!" He shouted in anger. "You didn't even _try _to defend yourself."

Maybe it was the blood loss or maybe it was the force of the hit, but all Harry could do was stare blankly at the enraged elf. A long silence passed between them and Jak threw his hands in the air. "Forget it." He spun around, teeth grinding, and left the human standing on the platform alone. "I'm done. Don't get yourself killed."

Harry didn't attempt to follow Jak; he couldn't have if he tried. He watched the elf leapt across the gap to the rock ridge and disappear around the corner. He resisted the urge to smirk and shook his head back and forth. His eyes rested on the horizon briefly before he started back to the pumps and the airlock.

Jak finally gave up on him.

He couldn't say he didn't see that one coming a mile away.


	12. A Little Prayer Never Hurt

**Faithless:** I went back and fixed the horribleness of chapter ten. God I need a beta…

Once again I lied… Short chapter… Sorry

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Semi-Automatic

Part II: Losing It

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**Chapter Twelve: **_A Little Prayer Never Hurt_

The silence of the night ended as soon as the sun brushed the horizon. Houses came alive with lights and the streets filled with people. Beaten and ragged taxies crawled across the faded sky clogging the aero ways with stalled traffic and blaring horns.

The self-demoralizing routine of the morning was always the same. Wake up, work, keep your head down, and pray to the Precursors you had the Eco to pay the bills. It had been like this for the last few years, but it was hard to imagine it any other way. Living in the Slums had always been bad, but never this _bad. _When the wages dropped and the taxes rose, Nobles profited and the common elf was left to rot. People went insane, crime shot through the roof, and the Guard was only brought in because it was becoming _too _much to shove under the carpet.

Not to help us, to save our new glorious leader's image in the Yellow District. He had a plan, he told them, but it was nothing more than a glorified P.R stunt.

I had lived my entire life in the sand ridden streets of Haven Slums. Nothing about what the Baron has planned is good for us – lower or upper class.

I let out a heavy sigh as I re-adjusted the package under my arm. I glanced down at the yellow slip in hand and wondered idly why the payment had been so large. Mind you, it probably had to be shipped from South Town and bribed through customs.

"Is that blood…?"

I raised my eyes up to the speaker and followed his line of vision. He was staring, along with a few others, at small trail of blood leading across the bridge in front of us. I dropped behind them and peered curiously between shoulders. It was best to leave these things alone and walk the other way; curiosity killed the croca-dog after all…

The source of the blood was a dark haired elf with his arm tight to his side with the other groping for support. The elves he passed gave him suspicious glances and wide birth. His face was littered with dried blood from a head wound and various small, but deep, cuts. A large bruise dominated the right side of his face, clearly visibly against alabaster skin. His bottom lip was swollen with a slit running down the corner. He favored his right leg and slogged his way through the morning throngs of people.

"Must have had a run in with the Guard…"

"Damn, looks worse than that time I…"

"Keep away from him…"

"Wonder if he's with the Underground…"

The pale elf stopped suddenly and took a quick look around. He took in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and twisted his arm. A sickening crack made more than one elf passing him flinch, but no one spared a second look. Guards' beating up a citizen or two wasn't uncommon in the Slums. It set an example, a clear sign that screamed '_This is what happens.' _And if that was the case, it was better to leave the poor bastard to his own devices. Showing compassion to someone that the Guard had decided to teach a _lesson _often ended with more broken bones and bloated bodies in the water.

The others quickly cleared off, but the dark haired teen's ears, or rather lack of, made me pause. City's underworld was well established and their business didn't just end in South Town. Haven and crime went hand in hand most days. Losing ones ears was often a sign that some idiot had gotten the grand idea to steal from one of the various mobs or crime syndicates that littered these streets.

Yet, that didn't explain the teeth and claw marks he was trying to hide. I studied him for a moment. There were so many things that the wounded elf could be. He could be a heavy for a syndicate; he could be a hapless citizen that got caught on the wrong side of the tracks. He could be anything and being a Havenite, I needed to be careful choosing when and if I should get involved in something wisely.

Just as I turned away to finish my delivery the dark haired teen let out a grunt and collapsed against the side of a building burying his head in hand. His shoulders trembled with exhaustion and his chest heaved desperately.

Well… I never said I was the wisest guy around.

* * *

- 0 -

"Hey… You don't look so hot."

_Ya… You wouldn't look so bloody hot if you just went a round with a Metal Head. _Harry let out an annoyed groan, but didn't turn around to face the speaker. "J-Just walk away." His brow furrowed in pain. The brief relief of having cracked it back into place was short lived as the pain threatened to make him sick. This was the last place he had expected someone to actually ask it he was alright.

Haven City was dour at night, but it was down right oppressive in the day time – Even the few hours before the sun rose. The elves were haggard, some in old and torn clothing, and thin. They kept to themselves so far and let him be to his own business. If his appearance didn't scar the man off, he'd have to do it himself.

"Hey – I know you." The voice suddenly said.

_Shit._ He straightened out his back and slowly turned around expecting to see a gun aimed at his chest, but only found a brown haired man his age in an obnoxious orange shirt staring at him with mud colored eyes. Harry glanced over the teen to see that he didn't have any weapons on him, just a hastily wrapped package tucked under arm. "Yeah," The boy nodded. "You were that guy that took out the guard that held me up when the Slums were being razzed last night. You and a blonde guy," He glanced around and raised an eyebrow to him. "… But…"

Harry winced at 'blonde guy' and let out a sigh pinching the bridge of his nose. At least he wasn't recognized by a K.G. "Like I said –" He wasn't able to finish his sentence as the pain shot up from his arm. He fell back against the wall hissing in pain. "Bloody hell…" Harry breathed.

"You need doctor," He surmised. "Since we're in short supply of that…" He jerked his head toward a bridge that disappeared through an alley of houses. "You should go to the Precursor Alter -"

"I don't need to pray," Snapped Harry annoyed. He wasn't in the mood to play games with the hm; he needed to get out of here. Find some place to think and get a plan.

The he rolled his eyes. "A little prayer never hurt, but you look like you need a place to rest" He glanced to patrol of guards that turned the corner. "There is no point in limping around – You are prime target for someone to mug." He paused briefly. "With what you did to those guards, I know that you can handle yourself, but you look like hell." He told him earnestly. "What harm is there?" He reasoned.

There was a long silence from the human, but the guards coming closer to him rushed his decision. "Alright," He breathed. "… Lead the way."

The teen nodded and stepped forward to help Harry, but he snarled at him. The teen instantly retracted his hand with a frown. "We'll get there faster…" He started uncertainly then changed tactics seeing the guards. "It'll be less suspicious if I'm helping you around rather than leading you."

_I guess he's right… _Harry considered once again glancing at the guard and nodded slowly. If the teen tried to take advantage of his state, he'd still be able to seriously harm, if not kill, him for it. The elf was tall and gangly and had barely any muscle to him. He adjusted the package under his arm and pulled Harry's injured arm over his shoulders. A hiss left his lips, but he remained silent with his head bowed as the elf helped him toward a large plain building.

The door slipped open and Harry was greeted a dark room lit with hundreds of wax candles, a blue gold trimmed carpet leading to a bronze statue with glimmering blue gems for eyes. The thing looked like an over-sized mosquito head. The elf moved away from him and placed down the package on a wax covered shelf. "Hold up a second," he walked to the side of the statue and slipped behind it. When he returned he was holding a medical kit. "Sorry, couldn't say it out loud." He jabbed his chin in the general direction of the door. "The guards wound confiscate this if they knew." He explained. "People drop off supplies here and then."

"By people you mean the Underground?" Harry asked sliding against the wall heavily.

The boy stiffened.

"That package you got." His reaction told him all he needed. "It is for the Underground." He raised his eyes up lazily.

He had knelt down beside Harry silently and flicked open the medical kit. He shifted through the contents to pull out gauze and a package of temporary stitches. It was obvious that the elf didn't want to speak any further in caution of exposing himself as part of the resistance. He may have only been a part of the same organization for a day, but he had already witnessed what the Baron would do to get at them. Raiding an entire sector and shutting off the water supply was probably the tip of a very large iceburg. "Don't worry," He stared at the glittering idle for a moment. "I'm not going to tell the guard about it."

"Where are you from? I've never heard an accent like yours." The young man asked taking his arm carefully and pushing back the sleeve. He took a pair of medical scissors and cut the blood soaked bandages.

Harry winced as the strong scent of anti-septic was spilled into a cloth and applied to his wounds. "I'm from Hyper City," He lied. "Eastern Side." It had been his cover story since the first time he had been asked about his hometown. Eastern Side was on the fringe of Hyper City, a small farming village that no one really knew about. He doubted that a Havenite would be able challenge him on the subject.

"… You're from outside the city?" He asked without looking up. "What are you doing here of all places?"

"… Got some unfinished business." Harry muttered then glanced at the kit. "Why does the Underground put supplies here? I would assume they wouldn't want to waste their own stash."

Once again the boy fell silent as he ripped open the package of stitches. "The Underground doesn't supply this place with their medical supplies. These are from people _for_ resistance." He motioned out behind the Idle. "They are left for the Underground or anyone who needs them." He paused. "There is no hospital in the Slums… There." He stated suddenly examining his work evading the topic completely. "That should hold for a bit… My name is Jonas, by the way."

"Harry," He answered. "Thanks for the help."

"No problem." Jonas nodded to him standing and grabbed the package. "Call it repaying you for saving my life…" He tapped the side of his face. "You might want to, in the future, avoid the guy that gave you the bruise... Looks like he has a nasty right hook." He glanced at the door and then back to the lone human still sitting haphazard on the floor. "Uh, you going to be alright?"

Harry nodded closing his eyes. "I'll be fine. You should deliver that."

"Right… I'll see you around, then."

"… Most likely." Harry muttered watching the brown haired elf in the bright orange shirt disappear out of the door.

What the hell was he doing?

What the _hell_ was he thinking?

He was alone, bloody, and in the middle of a foreign city full of guards looking for him.

He needed a god-damn plan.

Rising back to his feet, Harry reached out for the closest support.

* * *

- 0 -

It took nearly twenty minutes for Harry to realize he was staring at the wooden roof of the Alter. He couldn't exactly remember how he had ended up on the floor, but he was. His body felt incredibly light and heavy all at the same time. He could feel _everything _around him, even the wisps of morning air that slipped through the cracks in the aging wood. The sensations were overwhelming – A secondary bliss before it was too much. He lurched forward with a rushed breath and found himself staring blankly at the shimmering Precursor Idle half way across the room. The lights of the blue gems were harsh against his eyes, forcing him to snap his hand to offer some protection.

"Bloody hell…"

Everything was so clear cut, so there, so close that he could barely comprehend it. He even wasn't completely sure that he was in the same Alter that the elf, Jonas, had helped him into. The light of the candles hadn't been this bright, the Idle didn't feel electrically charged, nor were the sounds from outside so clear.

He moved forward onto his hand and knees dizzyingly and anticipated the pain of trying to stand.

He found himself standing so fast that he stumbled.

"What…" He breathed bringing his hands to face trying to rid himself of the daze he was in. He couldn't ever remember feeling so… whole in the last year.

So alert, awake, _sane._

It took him another few moments to realize that he wasn't in pain. No trace of discomfort, despite the head rush, could be felt in any part of his body. Casting his eyes down to his hands expecting to see the purple and green fingers with cracked and missing finger nails, but instead he found normal, pale hands free of any blemish or disfiguration. He pushed back his jacket sleeve and the unwrapped the bandages to see that the gouges the Metal Heads left were healed. Just not healed, but completely gone, they didn't even leave behind a faded scar. Instantly he snapped his hands over his body to find that every other wound or injury was miraculously gone.

His healing ability was back.

What triggered it, Harry had no idea. He honestly didn't care, he was just glad to feel somewhat normal.

Not like a walking corpse.

Slowly he took in a deep breath and his head felt suddenly light with the heavy scent of lavender. Mixed with the stench of the unclean water, the engine exhaust, and smog, Harry found himself choking. Turning around abruptly he left the Alter and into the Water Slums, the air wasn't any better – but it lacked the relaxing and overwhelming lavender.

"Halt."

Instantly Harry's shoulders tensed and spun around expecting to see a group of K.G behind him, but found nothing.

"Get him!"

He whirled around again and his eyes scanned the immediate area. Half way across the Slums a group of guards were running toward something. Citizens were forced to the side, some nearly falling off, as they guards pushed their way through. The Captain of the group was shouting on his communicator and directing his soldiers toward the disturbance. More than one Slums resident ducked off into an open door or slid into broken window. _This must be common,_ Harry thought to himself, _No one can hide that quickly if they hadn't done it a million times._

"Left! He went left!"

Harry assumed, as he moved without notice toward the stone pathway, that it was probably a riot – From the amount of gun fire he could hear, he was probably right. He side stepped a trio of guards running with guns raised down the bridge.

"_It's him!" _He caught the transmission as they passed. "_The escaped prisoner!" _

The human stopped mid-step.

_Of course_ it was Jak.

He wanted to tell his newly mended legs to keep going, take himself away from this mess. Jak had said he was done and not to get himself killed. He'd take the blonde's advice and do just that; avoid situations that could get him killed. Jak was more than capable of handling himself – It wasn't his problem to think about that anymore. Unfortunately, he wished it was that easy to discard.

He traced a scar along the bridge of his nose with his thumb subconsciously thinking of Invisera. Where He had been left with this thin scar across his face and Jak had been left with a savage gouge out of his back that took weeks to heal properly because Jak had come back for him – After a Harry had told him to go to hell. The times that Jak had mutter answers to questions under his breath in technical classes or all the times he nearly lost his arm in training exercises pulling Harry out of the way…

That was Jak from a year ago, that was Harry from a year ago.

Jak wasn't going to put up his shit and Harry was more than capable of handling himself.

"_He's cornered! Bring the transport!" _

His eyes snapped to the grinning guard that shouted the order into the communication device. His eyes glinted with triumphant and far too much amusement for Harry's taste. For all the bravado Jak had shown in Invisera, there was one thing he had openly admitted to Harry. His fear of being in that cell again – Back then he always knew he'd be going back, but he'd take what little enjoyment he could out of his time spent in Invisera. He never said it with the intention to make Harry feel more pathetic than he did, but Harry's conscience had eaten away at him for nearly eight weeks after that. There he was, free from the Dark Eco and his captors, but he couldn't even relax slightly having to save some kid he'd never met before from dying at every turn.

Harry inner battle continued to rage on relentlessly

If it was true, if they actually cornered Jak, he knew the elf would get out. Be it his skill or the dark creature that festered under his skin. He had witnessed the last time they had Jak pinned, the ensuing blood bath wasn't something you could easily forget.

He squared his shoulders and prepared to leave.

"_Ha, Freak isn't getting away this time." _The communicator echoed. _"Bastard will be back screamin' in the chair before the days out." _

Harry exploded.

The guard was lying of the ground with the communicator shoved deeply into his visor and Harry was sprinting down the length of the bridge. His new found strength made it easy to take out the guards he passed on the way. Be it tossing them into the water or taking them out with well aimed punch. _Why the hell am I doing this? _Harry thought the entire time he wended his way through the misshapen bridges and shanty houses.

_Because, _he reminded himself as he pulled his hand back from a visor. _You owe him… _The sounds of gun fire and shouting became louder and Harry knew he was close – Closer than he realized. He had a split second to press himself against the wall as Jak came running like a bat out of hell past him.

Jak didn't even see Harry or the guard that came up behind him with a yellow rifle poised for his back. Harry's hands snapped out just as the guard pulled the trigger. He clenched his hand around the barrel and felt the iron bend easily under his hand. The guard pulled the trigger again, not realizing the damage to his gun, and Harry was forced to dive for cover his eyes as the weapon overloaded. The guard was shot back nearly twenty feet in the yellow blast and into the water. The human shot up from his stomach and lurched forward grabbed the arm of the elf. Jak, determined to keep running, brought his other fist toward Harry's face. This time, however, Harry was able to move to the side and pull the teen head first into a broken window of an abandon building.

He landed on his feet, but Jak and his talking shoulder ornament weren't so lucky. Harry tried to ignore the light satisfaction he got from watching Jak pick himself up from the concrete floor. Harry pressed himself against the wall and watched as the boots of several guards rushed by.

"What the hell – Harry?" Stated Daxter mildly surprised, but the human's hand clamped over Daxter's mouth as another patrol passed.

"_Find him!" _

"_Look over…" _

"_Check the other side, Songson move to…" _

The transmissions drifted away causing Harry released Daxter and drop the rodent onto the moth eaten couch he was standing on. His eyes traveled back to Jak and the teen looked frighteningly livid.

_Sure, _Harry thought scathingly. _I just saved your ass… _

"I can't believe you actually left!" He nearly shouted at him surprising Harry.

"You told me you were done – So I got out of your way."

He shook his head vigorously. "I meant I was done trying to get my point across." He let out an aggravated sigh closing his eyes. "I meant not to do anything stupid while I was gone – Heading into a K.G infested Slums in your condition qualifies as _stupid." _Jak snapped, his eyes flashing angrily.

The human stared at the seething elf for a long time before saying. "And yet… Somehow I didn't get tagged and you did." He honestly couldn't come up with an excuse for his misunderstanding.

"We," Daxter said from Jak's shoulder. "Got tagged looking for you, Wolfie."

Harry frowned deeply considering the floor between them.

"Wait," Daxter realized. "… Dude, did you just pull us through a window?"


	13. Rusty Tanks

**Faithless:** ... Not much to say.

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Semi-Automatic

Part II: Losing It

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**Chapter Thirteen: **_Rusty Tanks_

"… I said I'm sorry," Harry started "Look I –"

"Forget it." Jak snapped pulling the zoomer into the alley.

The ride back to the base had been anything but easy going. Once Harry had explained waking up on the floor staring up at the mosquito-like Precursor Idol completely healed, Jak had all but ignored him while they waited out the alarm. Every time Harry tried to speak, let alone apologize, Jak cut him off with a dark look that even he wasn't stupid enough to contend with. Daxter, being the one to ease the tension, had decided to enlighten them with stories about his time as an exterminator. While Daxter had prattled on about a man with a bad accent who gave him a hard time in a hotel that neither paid attention to, Harry found himself almost ashamed.

He had so easily given up on himself; he thought the same of everyone else.

'_I'm not the type of person to leave others hanging.' _Jak's voice echoed through his mind from nearly two years ago.

_Some things haven't changed I suppose. _

Harry, pulling himself out of the side of the zoomer after Jak, scowled lightly at the ground. Once again Jak had shot down what seemed to be his hundredth time trying to apologize. When the silence was broken, it wasn't Jak that spoke, but Daxter. He turned to look at him as they headed down the staircase with a goofy grin. "We were actually worried about ya for awhile, Wolfie. Should have seen Jak – Hasn't been that panicked since –" He was abruptly cut off with Jak clamping a hand over his mouth.

Harry just smirked.

Entering the base's top floor Harry and Jak found themselves stopping. Torn, unlike when they had left him, wasn't alone. A woman with dark hair swept back was speaking to him with a serious look. The Underground Commander seemed just as enthused to be speaking with her as she was to him. After a few moments she, with a finely manicured hand, tossed over a bag that clicked loudly on the map covered table. Brushing loose strains of hair behind her heavily pieced ears she whirled around. Torn scowled lightly at her back, but stopped upon seeing the three standing near the entrance.

The woman's black lined eyes flashed over them briefly before she stepped forward taking Jak's chin in hand. The teen was momentarily stunned by the action or the heavy floral perfume the woman wore. "You two must be the new recruits. I didn't think you would be so cute." She chuckled.

Jak, snapping out of his surprise, grabbed her wrist. She gave him an alarmed look as he said lowly. "Careful or you'll lose." He released her hand.

After a moment she gave him a lopsided smirk. "Heh, women love the dangerous ones." She quickly changed to topic while her eyes looked Harry over thoroughly. "Congrats on getting the water back on. I'd love to see the heads roll when the Baron finds out."

Jak stepped away from the woman and toward Torn. "Yeah, I'm sure he's losing a lot of sleep over this 'arm pit' of the city." He narrowed his eyes on Torn. "We've done what you asked. Now when do we see the Shadow?"

Harry could only manage a nod to the woman as she passed him blowing a kiss. _… Wow… _

"When I say so, if I say so." Torn told him angrily bringing Harry's attention back "Before I even think about it. I want you to take care of an ammo dump we've I.D'd in the Fortress. Lot's of Krimzon Guards with constant patrols. We know it's vulnerable and the Underground needs you to blow up all the ammo you find inside." He paused briefly. "Get all of it and we'll deal a body blow to the Baron."

Harry stepped up to Jak's side to study the map he had pointed to. Daxter suddenly burst out. "You're sending up in, Tough Guy." He jabbed his thumb into his chest. "So what's with all this 'we'll deal a body blow stuff?'"

Jak quieted him. "That's fine. I want the Baron to know it's _us _who is hurting him." He motioned to Harry and himself.

The human nodded in agreement.

Torn watched the odd trio slipped out of the base with a critical eye.

"They seem dedicated." He cast his eyes toward a blonde who sat up from one of the bunk beds. She threw her legs over the side and leaned her elbows on her bare thighs. "I don't get why two kids would harbor so much ill will toward the Baron. I mean, I can understand, but they seem to have a personal vendetta." she shrugged her shoulder continuing on "Maybe he killed their family or a close friend was banished to the Wasteland." The woman slipped off the bunk bed to land nimbly on the concrete floor. She made a face tugging at her right ear. "For Mar's sake, that one kid had his ears chopped off." She shivered at the thought while stepping into the light.

Torn cast his eyes lazily over the maps. "I don't know how much of that I believe. Get someone to run a trace on them. I want to now everything there is to know about them."

"Well," The woman mused crossing her arms over her ample chest. "I can tell you what we do know. They are part of the resistance, one – or both – of them are escaped convicts fresh out of the slammer. But," She said seeing the irate look that crossed Torn's features. "I'll get Yuric on it."

* * *

- 0 -

The sudden excess of energy in Harry nearly made the teen start to twitch. The thought of facing K.G one on one was enough to make him run all the way to the Fortress. That and the certain satisfaction he gained from watching a guard crumple to the floor bloody and broken.

"Harry, stop for a second." Jak's voice came from behind him.

Harry turned around slowly with a raised eyebrow, but kept his distance from the blonde. "I dunno, Jak. Are you going to hit me again? 'Cause I'd rather not take on a bunch of soldiers with headache."

He sighed while Daxter smirked. "Alright… I'm sorry for that, but…"

Harry waved his hand. "No worries, mate, I deserved it -"

"Awe, are you two making up?" Daxter grinned devilishly making both glared at him. He crumbled under the heated looks.

Once they reached the Fortress, stealing an access card from a K.G now laying face down in the mud, they were able to get into the first level without hassle. The room was filled with consoles sending out data to various ends of the Fortress and a tank standing in the middle of the lower platform.

Harry, no where near proficient in the language to read the speeding script, waved Jak over. "Maybe this will help us find it."

"Maybe." Echoed Jak moved to get a closer look at the screen. Harry and Jak had a very thin grasp of how to work control panels like this, but it was enough to get them by. Jak slowly cycled through data files while Harry stepped down to the lower platform to examine the tank.

While in Invisera they had been introduced to various military equipment used both by the Invisrin and the K.G forces. They had been taught how to use them and what to watch for when one was sneaking around a secure facility. The tank in the middle of the room wasn't the largest Harry had seen, but the look of it was familiar. The hub cap cannon extending forward and the spiked tread were sending alarms through his mind, but for the life of him he wasn't able to remember why.

"What is this…" He muttered aloud placing a gloved hand on the vibrating hull.

Daxter piped up. "Uh… My guess is a rusty tank?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "I mean, moron, what is a tank doing in the middle of a Fortress…" He paused. "These are usually for outside…" The spike tread was used to grip onto hard metal or stone.

"Nothing on here about the ammo." Jak sighed irritably stepping down to join Harry beside the tank. Daxter, taking no interest in the tank, leapt from Jak's shoulder and headed toward the archway leading to another sector of the Fortress.

"That is a SD model." Jak reminded Harry tapping the upraised insignia. "… Security maybe?"

"Why would it be on stand by?" He asked… and then it clicked. He whirled around to face Daxter. "Daxter – no!" But it was too late.

Harry and Jak jumped back as the tank whirred to life. The cannon rose from the floor and locked onto them. "Security tank activated, taking offensive tactics." The unmistakable sound of charging eco-cannons came from the machine.

"Run!" Jak yelled pushing Harry hard in the back of the shoulders.

He didn't need to be told twice. Jak was ahead of him as the cleared the archway into a grated walkway just big enough to support the tank.

"WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Wailed Daxter just as Red Eco bullet clipped Jak's shoulder. Jak didn't even flinch as he made his way up to the platform and toward the slotted wall that separated the tank and the main walkway. Harry, thinking the tank would remain there until they came back through, let out a sigh of relief as he landed beside Jak.

It was short lived as the tank came crashing through the wall as if it was paper.

"You have to be kidding me!" Shouted Harry in frustration.

They now were faced with a straight walkway and a gauntlet of sweeping motion sensing lasers. With the tank bearing down on them they had no choice but to head forward. Ducking, jumping, and diving out of the way they were able to clear the lasers relatively unscathed. Jak was clipped on top right of his ear and Harry was forced back to avoid being shot through the stomach. Just as he cleared the last set of lasers his left leg was highlighted by the red scope of the tank. He threw himself to the wall to avoid the ensuing explosion. Jak and Daxter narrowly escaped the blast by jumping onto a box of steel crates. He lunged himself onto a bar and used his momentum to swing to the ledge, barely grasping it as the explosion rocked the room.

With the two out of range, Harry was the prime target of the tank's aggression.

"Go!" Harry yelled over the ringing in his ears. "I'll catch up!"

Unsure for a moment, Jak nodded disappeared into the area behind the grated wall. Harry was now playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the SD. He couldn't stay in a spot more than a few moments before the sensor found him again and fired.

"The wall!" He heard Daxter shout from behind the divider. "It's the same as the one it crashed through before!"

Casting his eyes to the divider on the other side of the SD Harry pieced together a plan. The SD model was made with a hyper-sensitive outer shell defense. Meaning that once it felt pressure on the hull while active it would send currents of electricity to dispose of whatever had latched onto it. There was a draw back to the defense; it took power away from the weapons.

That single draw back was Harry's only chance of possibly getting to the divider. Just as the SD locked onto him, he leapt forward. The moment his boot touched the steel hull, he pushed off. He tucked into a roll and hit the wall once he was back on his feet. The machine whirred for a moment before powering the cannon once again.

He waved his hands over his head. "I'm over here rust bucket!"

It took seconds for the SDM to aim and fire. In that second Harry ran left toward the crates and the wall came down on top of it. Distracted with pushing itself out of the debris, Harry made a gamble on the distance of the ledge and jumped. He, like Jak, barely caught the edge.

A pair of boots appeared in his line of vision. Jak stood above him with a smirk on his face.

Harry rolled his eyes muttering. "Does everything have to be this difficult?"

There was a light laugh as Jak extended his hand to Harry. "Where would be the fun if it wasn't?"

* * *

- 0 -

The rest of the Fortress didn't deliver the same thrills as the SD, but the unsteady platforms that moved back and forth on a conveyor were starting to grate on his nerves. Once they cleared the last of the K.G they found themselves in the middle of a large storage room; another SD sat idling just in front of them.

"I suggest we don't touch that." Daxter said upon seeing it.

"What gave you that – Ack!" Harry was suddenly taken to the floor as Jak grabbed his sleeve and pulled him behind the bins of ammo. He glared at Jak, but he placed a finger to his lips in a silencing motion. He pointed behind a large missile in the center of the room.

"Just leave it here until we come back. S'not like anyone is going to come here." A male voice drifted back. Harry glanced over the barrels seeing the K.G he had missed coming in. One of them sighed and placed a thin card device on top of one of the drums.

"Right." He agreed. "I'd rather not lose this one." With that the two went through another door.

Jak sighed. "That was way to close." Standing he swiped the card off the drum and inspected it. He showed it to Harry, but the human was at a loss to explain what it was. All he could guess was that it had something to do with security since a K.G had left it.

"That's a security pass." Daxter explained from Jak's shoulder. "We need those to get through city checkpoints."

A loud clang resounded from beneath them.

"Shh," Jak hissed to Daxter.

Harry had already pressed himself to the floor to look through the open vent to the level below them. The level looked to be a maintenance shaft between this and the next. A large pipe, the protective sealing stripped away, dominated the room. The pipe wasn't what got Harry's attention. The pair of Krimzon Guards, the drums of Eco, and the Metal Heads pushing them into the pipe was far more interesting… and confusing.

"These barrels are the latest shipment of Eco. The Baron says take them and get out." The guard snapped, gun in hand. The Metal Heads growled dangerously snapping their jaws. The guards instantly took up their guns and aimed at the monsters in warning. They snorted at the guards and continued to transfer the Eco from the floor to the pipe.

"Metal Heads in the city?" Jak whispered from beside Harry with. "Why are the K.G giving them Eco?"

Before either Harry or Daxter could answer, the SD behind them activated. The rumble set through the floor also activated the alarm. Jak and Harry were momentarily paralyzed as the gun whirled around to take aim.

"RUN!" Daxter yelled out. "FOR PRECURSOR'S SAKE RUN LIKE HELL!"

Jumping to their feet Harry and Jak barely missed being riddle with holes as the SD fired. Harry, noticing that all of the crates were marked 'Ammo', shouted. "This is the storage! Get the tank to fire at the missile!" It was almost too convenient, but Harry wasn't going to complain.

Running on either side of the missile they led the SD to take care of the stabilizers connected to the live missile. Once Jak had gotten the SD to shoot final connector a ten-second count down started spurring Harry and Jak toward the small opening on the other side of the room.

Once they cleared the ledge, the force of the blast propelled them forward. Harry hit the ground hard, but his mended body didn't give way. He rolled several feet before stopping and covering his head to protect him from the shower of shrapnel and debris.

"Jak?" He called out raising his head up to notice the teen laying on his back a few meters away. He was alive, but by the way his face was twisted in agony he had hit harder than Harry. It took a few more moments to realize that Daxter wasn't anywhere to be seen. He frowned as he stood not remember if he had seen the rat before the explosion.

There was a tense moment as Jak seemed to realize Daxter was missing. It was short lived as he blinked and looked down with surprise. Daxter, having been what Jak landed on, pulled his upper half out from under him. "Ugh! This place has too much excitement we need to move back to the country…"

Jak smirked at this, but slanted his eyes towards Harry. "You alright?"

He nodded. "More a less."

"Well I'm glad that everyone is alright… But," Daxter said tapping his lower jaw. "Jak would you kindly GET OFF ME!" He roared hitting Jak's lower thigh.

The blonde got to his feet vainly trying to hide the mirth in his eyes. "Heh, Sorry Dax."

Harry sighed heavily. "Let's get out of here before the K.G come. We should head back."

Daxter smacked his lips together rubbing his stomach. "I agree with Wolfie – I'm so hungry I could eat a yakow."

The wizard glared down at Daxter as he spoke. "Stop calling me that."


	14. Anxiety

**Faithless: **Computer crashed _hard. _Nearly five hundred dollars later… I don't have Word anymore, but downloaded OpenOffice, so we'll see how that goes. This chapter was hell to write, it wouldn't come out the way I wanted, I hate it – LOATH it. I don't know if I got Harry's problem across properly or not... and NOTHING important happens...AND I am sicker than a goddamn dog... but the next chapter practically wrote itself.

… Jak and Harry have only been free for barely a day. They lead exciting lives…

**

* * *

**

Semi-Automatic

Part II: Losing It

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: **_Anxiety _

His heart was in his ears while his shoulders shook with the effort to control the anxiety that ran rampant. He desperately, and discreetly, tried to control his breathing. His body tensing every time he spotted a flash of red or came across a street filled with people. In an effort to focus on something else, he tried to listen solely to what Daxter was telling Jak. The blonde, oblivious, stared forward nodding occasionally and giving Daxter one worded responses. When they came to the alley, it was more than mild relief that flooded Harry as he spotted the graffiti ridden entrance.

Once in the stairwell he felt his heart rate calm and his breathing became less forced. He let out a quiet sigh running a hand through his hair only then realizing his palm was slick with a cold sweat.

Shit. He cursed mentally pulling off his gloves to dry them against his pants.

"... He's not here." Commented Jak ahead of him. Glancing up while pulling his black gloves tightly, he too, noticed that Torn and his maps had disappeared. The upper base left empty and barely lighted by the furnace in the back. "What do you think? Wait or what?" He questioned Harry.

"I'm hungry," Daxter reminded them, "There's a cafeteria in here isn't there?"

Harry's mind instantly whirled with the thought. The hall was probably filled with people at this hour and that was far too many eyes for him to deal with at the moment. He barely made it back to the hideout without freaking out, he doubt he could handle a cramped space packed with people. He needed to collect himself and that wouldn't be possible in a situation that would only make it worse.

"I'm tired." He suddenly said making Jak look to him surprised. He went so far as to force a yawn. "I was wired, but now I'm drained. Must be from the healing." He shrugged stepping into the elevator before the two.

"Must be." Jak said skeptically, "Well, I for one, am hungry. So if I'll come and get you in... hour?" He suggested.

Harry nodded as the elevator leveled out on the dorm floor. "Sure... Whatever." He muttered stepping out onto the floor.

While he walked away he heard Daxter mutter. "What's up with him?"

Jak's response surprised him, but he was glad for it. "Leave him be, Dax. If he wanted us to know he'd say it straight."

Harry let out a breath pulling at his collar, it had suddenly become far to tight for his liking. Small spaces bothered him and anything red caused him to become a jittery idiot. In the absence of pain, his mind clearer, it became all to obvious he wasn't as well adjusted as he wanted. After being alone for so long, Harry had no idea how to handle people anymore. He lost his people skills somewhere between Invisera and Haven Prison.

Upon entering his room he tossed off his jacket and kicked off his boots leaving them haphazard on the floor where they landed. He fell back onto the bed stretching out his arms. He didn't know how long it took, but the tension eased and he was able to feel somewhat normal again.

Lazily he moved his eyes around the sparsely furnished room to land on the alarm clock on the nightstand. The cracked screen and fist size dent reminding him what he had done to silence it. Slowly he sat forward, extending his gloved hand to take the device up. Sitting cross-legged on the bed her studied the destroyed clock with a frown.

I did this before... He remembered how easily the iron of the rifle had bent under his hand, like it was nothing. His eyes flicked to the healed fingers only to frown even more. out in an alter, waking up healed of all injury without a clue... This place doesn't make sense... I don't make sense.

"Harry?" A soft rap on his door knocked him back to reality. "Are you there?"

Placing down the clock he glanced to the door surprised. Who? on his boots and jacket, he walked up to the door pressing the release on the way. The door slid back to reveal a shorter blonde woman dressed in a low top and and shorts. A bright smile grace her lips and she oozed contentment. After a second Harry realized the woman to be the one who had been standing beside Torn in the alley the night before. She seemed a completely different woman when her ace wasn't twisted with a snarl worthy of a Metal Head.

"Yes?" He asked somberly.

The woman held out her hands showing him the contents. In one hand she held a rucksack similar to one Jak had and in the other an empty gun holster. They were both made of worn black leather, suggesting heavy use, but still in fair condition. She cocked her head to the side, her smile only growing. "I thought you might need these. Torn already have your friend a Talkbox, but these..." she moved her hands slightly, "Will come in handy in a tight spot."

"... Do you want some-" He started knowing full well nothing was just given.

She cut him off abruptly, still smiling. "Nothing at all. The old owner doesn't need them anymore." She spun on her heel as he took them. She waved over her shoulder. "I gotta go."

For a moment Harry stood at his door, holding the gear stupidly staring after the woman as she hummed happily down the hall toward the elevator. "Hey... Wait a second..." He called after her stepping further into the hall. "Are you Tess?"

The jubilant woman turned around walking slowly backwards. "Yep that's me. If you want to talk or ask any questions, let's walk and talk on the way to the cafe."

The whole point of shutting himself in his room was to avoid the cafe... However, this was an opportunity to ask more about the group they had offered their services to... And if anything, Harry had become a opportunist. He fell into step beside her while strapping the rucksack to his waist. The contents rolling together with a metallic click. "Thanks for the clothes... and this." he paused, "But I find it hard to believe that you don't want anything for it."

Tess just chuckled at this, stretching her arms over her head tiredly. "You're welcome. You looked lie you needed the gear and I doubted you wanted to go around in a blood soaked prison uniform. Drags up some unwanted attention." She stated matter-of-factly looking back to him.

"Don't worry." She reassured him upon seeing the guarded look in his eyes. "The blood covered it up to the untrained eye." She tapped the space around her neck, motioning to the red scarf Harry had coiled there. "The scarf usually gives it away." Tess then added as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Haven maybe a place of give and take, but that isn't what we do for each other. You are part of the Underground."

"I'm paid for it." He reminded her. She had no idea what his intentions were, why he was incarcerated, or even if he was working for the other side secretly. Then again, Harry had to consider, she was probably doing this to gain information on him as well.

Like she said; Haven was a place of give and take.

He could toss her a few bits, if it came to that, for the extra clothing and gear. They entered the elevator with several others that had been waiting when they approached. Harry pressed himself to the support bare to avoid practically pressing up against the person beside him. They began to talk loudly about an upcoming zoomer race, but Harry tuned them out to look squarely at the blonde standing beside him contently.

"Why was this set up?" He asked quietly, his question almost masked by the men in front of him.

Blue slanted up to him mildly surprise, but quickly disappeared as she tapped a slender finger against her red lips. "Why?" She echoed staring intently at graphic design on the shirt of the man in front of her. For a few moments she just watched the man animatedly talk about the newer version of something called a RSKL. "You aren't from Haven are you?"

Harry shook his head slowly, the lie flowing from his lips with disturbing ease. "I'm from Hyper, Eastern Side."

It became obvious that their conversation wasn't their own as almost everyone turned to stare at him with a mix of disbelief and incredulity. Tess's bright eyebrows shot toward her hairline. "A long way from the jungle." She gave him a once over, as if looking at him for the first time. "I have never met a Hype before." As the elevator leveled out Tess and himself were the only ones left as it started down again. She leaned heavily on the support bar, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Quite simply it is to make Haven the way it used to be, idealistically, better – But at the moment we can only hope to stop the Baron before the Metal Heads kill us all." she told him, "The Baron doesn't care about the city as a whole. He just wants the power of being in charge. The Nobles and Upper Class live extravagantly while the common citizen is left to rot."

As she spoke Harry watched every ounce of the bubbly woman disappear into a bitter, hard eyed Havenite.

"Forcing men and woman, barely adults, to join his Guard in hope that they'll get their families out of the Slums or just so they won't be tossed from the city... Most are too afraid of the Baron to question him."

Harry gave a nod of comprehension. "He is a intimidating man in person."

"You've met him?" Her surprise was barely disguised.

The boy didn't miss a beat. "Go on with what you were saying." He urged as they left the elevator. He followed her as she took the maze like turns and stairwells with skill. Harry was starting to wonder how large this underground hideout really way.

"One wasn't."

"The Shadow." He stated.

Tess stopped just short of double doors, a muffled roar of voices rumbling behind them. He looked to her curiously, wondering why she had stopped. A part of him thankful.

"If you didn't know this... You aren't even a Havenite... Why did you join?" she asked, "Why are you and Jak fighting for something that you don't know about? Is he from here?"

Harry considered what to tell her. In truth Harry could care less of the issues of Haven, but could he tell her the only reason they were here was because they were going on the word of a old man?

With a dismissive wave Tess spoke. "Never mind. We all have our reasons." In a abrupt change, her smile was back. She wheeled around pushing the doors open. The muffled voice became full and hit Harry like a wave. If Harry had any assumptions that the Underground was a small movement, they would have been blow out of the water. Nearly a hundred, maybe more, people were packed into the large room. Almost every table was full of elves. Most dug into their breakfast, others talking loudly, and some comparing maps and discussing the best route to avoid the K.G and sensors.

He felt a sudden pressure in his ribs. Alarmed by the sudden contact he snapped his eyes to the blonde. She gave him a lopsided grin dropping her elbow back to her side. "You look like a skeleton. You should eat something." With that said Tess started into the packed center of the cafe. "It was nice talking to you, Harry!" she called over the noise, "I think your friends are still around here. It is a mad house when breakfast starts!"

_No kidding_... Harry thought as he lost sight of the woman.

He felt the familiar tension build inside him just as it had outside. His shoulders tensing, heart building in pace, and his palms becoming sweaty. The urge to turn around and leave was overwhelming, but instead of giving in, Harry forced himself into the mess of people to find Jak and Daxter. He hated the feeling of everyone eyes on him, but knowing full well no one spared him a glance. The sense of the walls closing in, the space becoming small all well knowing it was physically impossible.

Gritting his teeth he pushed himself further. He swallowed his anxiety as someone knocked into his shoulder. He could have skated the heavier traffic by going around the side toward the back, but that would have wasted time and he'd be damned if he let it get the better of him.

"I can't believe they expect us to eat this!"

Looking to his right Harry found the owner of the voice. Daxter, standing on the table in front of a silver tray, stared down his nose at it with absolute disgust. Jak, sitting on the bench, only rolled his eyes popping a piece of meat into his mouth. "It isn't that bad."

"Pfft," Daxter snorted, "Look at it." He pointed at the reddish glop in the center of his tray. They way it just... _wiggles_." He pulled face as the glop quivered. "I've eaten garbage that looked better than it."

"Well, there is a rubbish bin over there." Harry commented dropping the holster onto the table, the buckle clicking loudly. "I'm sure no one will mind, since that is what rats do."

Daxter tossed him a heated glare. "Ottsel. Say it with me... Ott-sel."

"Tomato, tamato." He responded flippantly.

"Thought you were tired." Jak mused while Daxter grumbled under his breathing waving his spork menacingly in Harry's direction.

Harry just shrugged.

"Where'd you get the gear?" Daxter asked through a mouthful of what Harry could only guess to be mashed potatoes, the question sounding more like 'Whers yo gets the gea.'

"From a woman named Tess. Said that they might come in handy... Said that Torn gave you a Talkbox? When did you see him?"

Jak said tiredly. "On my way here, actually."

"Have you told him about what we found?" Harry ventured.

He shook his head. "Didn't have time to. It was pretty much shove the Talkbox in my hand say a couple words and leave." He sliced his hand horizontally through the air. "But I did ask around. Apparently it isn't the first time that the Baron has been off loading for unknown reasons. No one knows what it is."

Daxter cut in. "And we make trouble for those shipments, we screw up whatever the Baron's doing. That's what we want, right?"

Harry nodded in agreement. "What is a Talkbox?"

"Well, you see..." Daxter grinned, "It's a box that talks."

The human had to swallow the urge to bury his smug face in the reddish glop he was so appalled by. "Other than what the name suggests."

Reaching around to his own pack, he flicked open the top pulling out a thin device. It was half the thickness of the security pass they had stolen from the Fortress. "Compact hands free communicator. We had something like it where we are from, but it didn't look like this." He pressed a green button in the middle of it.

With a sudden jerk the metal card reworked itself into medium sized device with an orange screen and speakers on the sides. It hovered for a moment before Jak tapped the back and it collapsed back into the disk. Harry had to admit it was brilliant and far more convenient than those he had used in Invisera. Jak slipped it back into his pocket and pushed his tray toward him.

"Eat." He told him simply.

"I'm not -"

"By guess I can say it has been a couple of days since you've eaten anything. It's my second," He shrugged, then grinned. "I will, if I have to, force it down your throat. Remember what happened last time."

Harry gave him a halfhearted glare, but knew that it wasn't an empty threat. He had made that mistake once already and spent a hour trying to wash oatmeal out of his hair. Harry started in on the tray of food he couldn't name if he tried. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until he had an empty tray before him, barely tasting the food as it went down. Standing he took up the gear taking a moment to decide what to do with it. He had always hated the back holster. The awkward extension back had always bothered him. Deciding to take a chance, he latched the holster around his thigh.

"Torn has a mission for us," Jak suddenly said, his chin in palm, eyes lazily flicking over the thinning crowd.

He looked up surprised. "Already? Are you kidding?"

Daxter shook his head waving his spork back and forth. "'Fraid not, Cupcake." He stood up dropping it to his now empty tray, moving to Jak's shoulder armor. "Onward Jak!" He pointed dramatically. "To face another crappy mission for Captain Sand Lungs himself!"

Jak, bemused, shook his head at the ottsel antics while Harry just annoyed. Why Jak put up with the incessant thing he had no idea. What amused the blonde just made Harry want to strangle the thing till it stopped talking.

Once they came out of the elevator Daxter leapt onto the map riddled table hands on his hips and an arrogant grin plaster on his lips. "The 'Demolition Trio' has returned! One BBQ'd Ammo Dump served up hot!"

Torn bypassed Daxter completely to look at the two teens silently expecting further explanation. Jak stepped up to the plate easily enough. "We saw something odd while torching that ammo." he knitted his brow, "The Baron's guards were giving Eco to a group of Metal Heads."

For a moment the tall man looked surprised and mildly impressed with what they had for him, but it was gone as soon as it came. "Really? The Shadow will be very interest in hearing that..." He trailed off as if speaking to himself.

Daxter crossed his arms over his chest speaking before Jak could continue. "You know... So far your gigs have been easier than stealin' grass from a sleeping Yakkow."

He considered Daxter for a long time before looking to the other two. Jak shrugged while Harry remained impassive. "You two and the rodent want to start proving yourselves? One of our... 'suppliers' needs his payment of Eco Ore."

He thumbed over his shoulder toward the exit, a bag in his right hand. "Take the S.S zoomers parked out back and drive them to the Hip Hog Heaven Saloon in South Town. Ask for Krew, he'll be there." He paused. "And don't let the Baron's patrols stop you." He went to hand the bag to Harry, but Jak intercepted the pass.

"By the way," He continued. "When you get there, pump Krew for information. He's wired into the city and may know what the Baron is up to."

"You can count on us." Daxter stated jabbing a thumb into his chest.

Harry rolled his eyes to Jak who just shrugged his shoulders with a smirk. Both of them knew that he would be cowering on Jak's shoulder in fear or telling them what to do while the guns were on them.

"Are you still here?"

Outside of the base, Harry ran a hand through his hair taking in a deep breath of Haven's air, as polluted as it was. He cast his eyes over the grim back drop of the Slums bathed in the sun.

"Sheesh!" Daxter complained while Jak tied the bag of ore to one of the zoomers. "We do all his dirty work and don't even get anything for it?"

Harry muttered. "S'not like we have a choice."

Jak nodded as he pulled the strings tightly. "This is our only lead on getting anywhere near the Baron at the moment." he told Daxter, "You do someones grunt work and you get what you need. We're doing this without complaint until we see the Shadow and see if this crap is worth it." He finished somewhat aggravated.

_You are expendable before you are an asset. _The only thing that Alec had ever said to him that actually been worth listening to.

"So who is takin' the package and havin' the K.G on their ass because of it." He glanced to Harry, expecting the human to take the zoomer that Jak had tied it to.

He raised his hands in the air. "Hell no. I'm never going anywhere near anything that has the word 'Eco' in it again." He eyed the package as if it carried a disease. He had never had a decent experience with it, he doubt that would change. Guns, explosions, K.G, and Metal Heads he could deal with.

Eco?

No way in hell.

Jak gave a short laugh swinging his leg over the zoomer. "You know you are lucky I was in the room or I'd say suck it up."

Daxter glanced between the two. "... Am I missing something here?"


	15. The Hip Hog and The Wastelander

**Faithless:** The Olympics are in Vancouver. I'm gong to be working for the Richmond Oval events – So might not update until after the games are done. Might not, dunno the schedule until tomorrow evening. Yaa! I get to fight my way through the buses and sky train!

Looking back over it, I realized I have tendency to put 'too' where 'to' should be.

And it can't possibly be a..._ Important plot point?!_

**

* * *

**

Semi-Automatic

Part II: Losing It

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen:** _The Hip Hog and The Wastelander _

With the security pass in hand, they were able to pass through the red barrier stretched across the southern end of the Slums without a second look. Unfortunately, the didn't stop a passing patrol from noticing the package strapped to the back of Jak's zoomer. It was moments after they found themselves in streets alive with gun fire, explosions, wailing sirens. The Industrial Sector, or more commonly known as South Town, was far more open than the Slums. The buildings towered high and were made of shaped metal, glass, and rust. It was, if not more so, just as grim as the Slums. With the K.G directly behind them, guns trained, Harry didn't spend much time on the scenery around. It was sudden, almost alarmingly so, when the city suddenly opened up over a man-made lake.

They sailed low to the water avoiding the clogged airway above. Daxter shouted wildly over the screaming engines pointing at the blaring neon sign far to their left. The Port, as Daxter called out, was littered with ships and half submerged submarines. This caused the two to weave between to avoid crashing into the steel hulls. They lost the K.G by slipping along side a tanker, the assault bikes speeding right past. It took nearly twenty minutes of waiting for the alarm to stop, but as it did, neither wasted time in getting to the Hip Hog Heave Saloon.

"Precursors..." Daxter mumbled as they approached the bar. "I think I left my stomach back there..." He pressed a hand to his face, covering his eyes. "I can't decide if I should be impressed or commit you to the nearest road-rage rehab center after that..."

Jak cracked a smile while Harry studied the large mannequin above the bar. The automated jaw of the _thing_ on top of the bar opened and closed jerkily. Showing rust from the moist salt ridden air of the Port. Instead of the smog, Harry was assaulted with a thick fish, salt, and polluted water combination. He couldn't say it was worse than the Slums, but it certainly wasn't an improvement. Everything in this city seemed to reek of decay.

"Come on." Jak's voice made him look back to the elf, ottsel pair. "Let's just get this delivery over with." He stepped inside, the door sliding open minutes before he passed through.

The saloon was dominated by a large roped off ring in the center. A bar was in the back, the shelves holding an assortment of colorful liquor bottles and trophies. Tables were tucked away in private alcoves, gambling lights illuminating the majority of the bar. The walls were lined with Metal Head trophies of all sizes. Their once glowing gems sitting dully inside empty bone armor, eyes lifeless hard stones in their sockets.

The place was empty save a large black man standing near the back near the bar. He was dressed in heavy armor made of what used to be Metal Heads. His left eye looked as if a scope had been hastily shoved over his eyes. Harry quickly realized that the scope was in face his eye. He had heard of optical implants while Invisera. One of the sergeants explaining that is was a risky black market trade. When the light swiveled toward them he was momentarily reminded of Mad Eye Moody. Pushing the irrelevant thought aside, the bastard one of the reason he was here, he focused on the fact that the man also held a large staff like weapon in his hands.

"Let me handle this Jak." Daxter stated, "Watch my finesse and style." He wiggled his eyebrows at Jak, jumping from his shoulder to the floor. He walked toward the man, who stared at Daxter the way any sane man would.

"Don't forget to ask about the -" Started Jak, but Daxter waved him off.

"Everything's cool. Don't panic." He reassured, "Hey big guy!" He gave the armored elf a cocky grin before slipping between his legs. The look was instantly replaced with pure shock. Casting their eyes up, both Harry and Jak took notice of the second man. Neither could stop their jaws from becoming slack or their eyes widening.

Unable to stop themselves, they just stared. The man before them was, to put it lightly, morbidly obese. His body was piled on top of a much too small hover chair device. Grasped in his grubby hand, adorned with more rings than their should have been, was a small ornate fan. He studied them critically with one red eye, the other milky with disease.

Regaining himself, Harry snapped his jaw closed. He nudged Jak sharply in the ribs to get him to do the same. He did, but emitted a low whistle. Be it in amazement or disgust, Harry didn't know.

"You Krew?" Daxter recovered, "Well... We shook the heat and your shipment is in primo condition." He tossed him a nervous grin, not as cocky as before.

Krew chortled. "That's good, 'ey. That cargo of Eco Ore is worth more than ten of your lives, hmmmm! And of course... I have been forced to collect... slowly." He gave a whole hearted laugh that dripped with more greed than Harry thought humanly possible. "The Underground seems to be recruiting anyone with a pulse these days." He scoffed.

He circled Jak and Harry in a way akin to that of the scientists. Frankly, neither liked it and it brought scowls to their faces. "Well," Krew paused on Harry briefly. "Maybe not your life, ey?" He gave Harry a knowing smirk, instantly putting the human on guard.

"Why?" Jak demanded surprising Harry and Daxter. The elf moving between Krew and Harry with hard eyes.

"Why indeed..." Krew muttered, his attention suddenly drawn to the orange ottsel who had moved back to Jak's shoulder. "And what do we have here? The Shadow's mascot of the month?" He ran his pudgy hand over Daxter's head roughly. "Oooo, soft... Sig, this fur would go well my silk suits, ey?"

The black man didn't reply, simply just watched the scene unfold with an uninterested eye.

Daxter, losing his air of confidence at the notion of being skinned, ducked behind Jak's shoulder. "L-Listen tons of fun... Anyone can see that you, uh, and I have the real juice in this burg... We're both players right? We're both looking for a piece of the action, right? I think we can do business, right?" His voice cracked.

Jak, finally cutting the stuttering ottsel of, spoke harshly. "We did you a favor, now it is your turn. Why is the Baron giving Eco to Metal Heads?" His face was twisted with both annoyance and anger.

Krew flew within inches of the two. The smell coming off the large man was enough to make Harry's eyes water, no less twist his stomach. If he had been anyone else, he would have taken a step back to just _breathe. _Jak crossed his arms clearly expecting an answer. "Questions like _that _could get a person kill, ey!" He spat. "Sig." He called out suddenly, motioning the man forward. "Give 'el Capitan' here and his friend a bonus."

The teens became all too aware of how much larger the armored elf was compared to them as he came closer. His height easily dwarfed Jak and together Jak and Harry barely made his girth. All of it, unfortunately, pure muscle. Harry knew that, in a fight, he would put up more than a challenge. When all did was hold out two Morph Guns, he hated to admit he felt relieved. Taking the weapon in his hand Harry noticed that the Scatter Gun Mod was attached to the muzzle.

"If you want to see what those babies can do, go to the Gun Course outside. Show me some skill with that hardware and I'll hire you for a job or two, 'ey." With that clear dismissal, Krew flew up toward the rafters of the saloon.

Nodding to the armored man, Jak whirled around and followed after Harry into the Port. Packing away their new guns in the holsters, Harry gave the saloon a deep frown. "Do you think Krew knows?"

Jak, also frowning, shrugged his shoulder. "I don't know... But if he is as wired into the city as Torn said... It is possible. The K.G that worked inside the prison probably knew you were human... And there is the fact that some of them are bound to be Invisrins."

"They haven't finished the second year yet." Harry reminded him, all too glad for the fact. "I just don't like the fact he _might _know."

"Me either..." Jak agreed.

"Is it really that bad?" Daxter inquired.

"Yes." They answered in unison.

* * *

- 0 -

"Oh no, Jak! Cardboard Metal Heads!" Daxter shouted in mock horror, pretending to faint while Jak aimed at another cardboard rendering. The target was instantly obliterated with the wave of Red Eco forced out of the gun. A small red disc popping off to the side and to the floor with a click.

The wizard wasn't able to stop the smirk that tugged at his lips at the pure dramatics of the ottsel as the doors closed. He winced at the on coming headache that twinged over his brow. The Scatter Gun Mod was a good heavy shotgun; ideal for mass Metal Head attacks. The sound, however, threatened to make Harry deaf. He looked to the gun in his had, the feeling familiar. The dark metal reflecting the light of the main area he stood in. Empty ammo crates pressed up against the back wall where he and Jak had left them once filling their guns.

He had used a Morph Gun before, preferring the Yellow Eco configuration to the Red.

_Even after all these years... I still get that feeling. _The stinging sensation of the Eco inside had always been normal, expected even. It was the flare in the back of his mind that demanded he dropped the weapon immediately. That he toss it away and never look at the thing again. The concept of him, of all people, holding it was just so wrong.

The doors slid open on the opposite side of the room to reveal Jak and Daxter. The blonde had tossed the gun over his shoulder, a grin plastered on his face. He turned to look at the scoreboard, the grin only growing.

"You know, you took way too much enjoyment out of that Jak." Daxter told him with a light laugh.

"10,000 points... Nice." Harry complimented.

Slipping the gun back into his holster, Jak said. "10 orbs says you can't beat that."

Harry shrugged, taking the bet, and walked into the course. It was always the one thing that Harry had over Jak. Jak was, for all of it, a bare handed fighter. It was what he was use to, how he did things before he had a gun shoved in hands. Harry had always been used to using a weapon that required aim, it was when that was taken from him he was lost. Twenty minutes later Harry came out careful to check his score.

10,200

He glanced sideways to Jak who snorted, but still held a lopsided smirk. "Haha." Daxter laughed, "He had to beat you at something Jak. I mean, poor guy can't even drive in a straight line." He acted as if he was a wheel swerving back and forth recklessly. An impression of Harry's lack luster driving.

Jak didn't even try to hide the mirth in his eyes while the human cocked the loaded gun. "I have a gun in my hands," he told him, "are you sure you wanna try me?"

Daxter stuck his tongue out at Harry, which only infuriated him further.

Before Harry lunged across the room and strangled the ottsel, Jak wisely stepped in. "Let's head back to the bar. Krew probably has something for us to do and I'm looking forward to using these." He motioned to the gun in Harry's right hand.

Daxter groaned as Harry nodded in agreement. Smoldering emerald fell on Daxter irately. "Or we could go see Torn. He most likely has something more dangerous for us to do." Harry rolled his wrist. "You know... A bit more _thrill._"

The ottsel opened his mouth, but closed it just as quick. He stood up to full height pointing in the general direction of the bar. "To the Hip Hog and the fat man it is!"

* * *

- 0 -

Harry was surprised that a man as large as Krew was about to move so fast. There was barely space to breathe before Krew was already on them with a grin that made Harry reconsider having decided Krew was a better option than Torn. At least Torn knew what personal hygiene was.

"Excellent shooting boys," The man gave them approving nods, as if he had expected an opposite result. "You two ever thought of being Wastelanders?" His eyes gleamed with the none-too-subtle hint that laced his words.

Jak cocked an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. For a moment he seemed to consider if he should take the bait Krew was so obviously hanging in front of them. "Can't say that I have." He answered at length.

Krew glanced curiously to Harry, obviously wanting the pair. The younger teen shook his head slowly, eyes never leaving the him. "Neither have I." He confessed.

With the bait taken, he wasted no time in jumping into the explanation. "Wastelanders find items for me outside the city walls, 'ey. Any artifact or weapon worth having comes through my hands. Work for me," he suggested, "and I will throw some of the sweeter items your way, hmmm?" He fell silent, gauging their reactions to his deal.

Harry stopped to consider this seriously. The Morph Guns that Krew had give them were, in fact, rather expensive models. Never used and already set with a Mod. Jak mused, his hand coming to stroke the small green goatee on his chin. "Kill Metal Heads? Get toys? Sounds like a hell of a deal, Krew." He cast his eyes toward Harry. "What do you think?"

The boy threw him a lopsided smirk. "Like you said, hell of a deal. Who am I to disagree with that?"

Daxter bit out. "Slow down there, Jak, Harry and the fat man. You three had better run that by me again... 'Cause there is now way I'm going outside the city wall to face more Metal Heads than we have to!" He almost yelled point wildly out the door.

Harry snorted. "You sit on his shoulder... What part of that is fighting Metal Heads?"

"I'm," he snapped back, "the one clinging to his shoulder hoping he doesn't get us _both _killed."

"Sig will show you the ropes." Krew intervened, blatantly ignoring Daxter's loud protest. He gestured to the armored man that had been watching in some amusement from one of the alcoves. He pushed himself out, dragging the weapon off the table as he did so. The amusement faded into annoyance as Krew called on him, then to nothing at all.

"So, you want to be Wastelanders, huh doughboys?" He cast them disapproving look. Harry had to admit, on first glance most people merely pushed them aside. It was often the worst mistake someone could make, but who was Harry to mention that?

"Well..." he sighed, "We'll see what you three are made of when we get out into the thick." He jerked his head toward the bar. "Krew wants some new trophies to put butts in chairs at the Hip Hog. So I'm gonna bag him five nasty Metal Heads at the Pumping Station."

Daxter gulped while the two nodded, the idea of fighting Metal Heads more than a little enticing with the weapons they now had.

This made Sig laugh. "Don't wet your fur, Chili Pepper, cause we're rollin' with the Peacemaker." Sig clasped his staff-like weapon in his hand. At the end of it an unfamiliar Gun Mod that was shaped like a dragon head.

"Whooo, I need one of those! Where'd you get it?" Daxter asked eying the weapon with admiration.

Krew, proceeded by his unbearable smell, came right up behind them grumbling. "Don't ask. Sig needs someone to watch his back while he tracks the Metal Heads, 'ey?"

Sig jerked his shoulder in the north direction. "We'll meet at the Pumping Station." His eyes narrowed dangerously, mild threat lacing his voice. "Listen Cherries, don't leave me dangling in the wind out there."

"We'll be there." Harry stated, not in the least shying to Sig's unsaid threat. "Just make sure you are." With that he spun around, no longer wanted to endure the smell of Krew, and left.

* * *

- 0 -

"I was thinking..." Harry spoke parking his zoomer against the low lying dock in the Water Slums. Jak sliding against the opposite side. He leaned back into the seat casting his eyes to the elder of the two. "Torn said Krew was connected, right?"

Jak nodded mutely, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"To that chair maybe..." Daxter muttered scratching his chest absently, eyes taking the pitiful sight that was the Water Slums with mild interest.

Harry extended his hand to help Jak onto the pier, both smirking at the comment. "We should keep doing things for him on the side." he shrugged, "More than just this 'Wastelander' thing if he asks."

The seventeen year paused briefly, but nodded. "You're right. His connections could get us to the Baron faster than working for Torn... And the weapons are nice."

They approached the large pipe when Daxter asked. "What about the Tattooed Wonder?"

The wizard shook his head. "We're not going to toss that to the side completely. We're only doing this until we can meet the Shadow to see if that was worth anything, Daxter – Heads up." His hand snapped down to the handle of his gun as the air lock doors opened to the Pumping Station. A flash of yellow catching attention.

"Shit." Jak swore pressing himself to the side of the air lock. "No wonder he wanted someone to watch his back."

Harry nodded in silent agreement. The Metal heads that stood on the sand bar were unlike any Harry had ever seen. They were less this time around, but they were much larger. They stood on two legs and carried long bone staffs in their claws. Daxter muttered helplessly seeing the energy charge around the ends of the weapon. Scanning the immediate area, the human spotted the Wastelander.

"Jak." He hissed jerking his head toward the crouching man beside the bent palm. He was intently watching the creatures, gun in his hand.

"How did he get so fast?" The ottsel whispered incredulously.

The blonde crept out first, barely making a sound as he passed over the sand. His eyes never leaving the creatures before them. He motioned for Harry to follow shortly after he cleared the distance between them and Sig. The green eyed teenage came up quickly, narrowly escaping being seen by one of them.

Just as they came up behind Sig, the man turned face them. "Ready to hunt a few Metal Heads? Follow me, stick close, and watch my six." He three them a grin. "This is gonna be fun."

To both Harry and Jak's surprise, the man practically walked out into the sight of the Metal Heads. They grabbed their guns and joined him in the fray. Upon seeing them, their neutral manner disappeared under snarls and bared teeth.

Harry took aim at the legs of the large creatures, the armor the least there, and pulled the trigger.

A squeal of pain issued from the creature as its leg were blown out from under it, leaving it a cripple in the sand. Harry turned to his left, having seconds to jump back as a charged end of the weapon was thrust toward him. He swung his weapon wide, one handed, and fired. He felt his wrist twist with the kickback, nearly snapping it. For the most part, fighting was starting to gain the flow it had back before prison. He wasn't what he used to be, but it was better than what he had been only a day earlier.

Get up here!" Shouted Sig from the platform above.

Jak, taking back his sleeve from a Metal Head corpse, kicked the head away with more force than necessary.

"Bossy much?" Daxter grumbled into Jak's shoulder.

The two caught up quickly with Sig, riding the pumps to the platform. He had knelt down on one knee adjusting switches on the staff. "Get behind me while toast the tank." He ordered them without looking up from his gun. Jak and Harry had never seen a Peacemaker Mod in action and wisely took a few steps back. Daxter slipped off Jak's shoulder admiring the large energy build up at the edge of the weapon. When the whirring reached its highest pitch, Sig released the charge in the metal container.

Harry had expected it to be dented enough for them to pass or even split - not explode. His hand went up to protect his face as bits of shrapnel shot out. Without a second thought, Sig stood and headed forward.

"Damn..." Muttered Jak, now eying the weapon with the same look Daxter had back in the bar.

After Sig had sent the two forward to take care of the Shockers, he pointed up toward a crab like Metal Head. "There's out first target. Keep the other creatures back while I charge up the Peacemaker."

The next couple of hours, the sun having gone down leaving them in a sparsely lit station with an array of Metal Heads, was spent searching out the rest of the crab like creatures.

"You alright, Cherry?" Laughed Sig casting his eyes over to Jak. The blonde grunted, but couldn't stop his teeth from chattering. Harry grinned, earning himself a glare from older elf.

"Now who looks like a drowned Metal Head?" He tossed out flippantly, Daxter snickering.

Jak was soaking from head to toe, wet from a fall he had taken when a Metal Head had gotten the better of him. Harry, back to back with him, had tossed himself against the railing to avoid the charged weapon. One second Jak had been there, the next he wasn't. Momentarily panicked, both Sig and Harry leaned over the railing searching for him. Daxter, knocked off by the force of the hit, was on Harry's shoulder.

The elf and the Metal Head wrestled in the swallow water below before Jak, with gleeful revenge, buried the Metal Head's head under the water, drowning it. Once they creature had stopped flailing, it had taken Jak nearly ten minutes to meet back up with them.

Suddenly Sig topped, raising his hand over his shoulder. Jak, plucking at his wet shirt, asked warily. "What is it?"

"We head that way." He pointed over the rocks, heading there himself.

Daxter sniffled. "When we get back - I call dibs on the shower... Ahhh, warm water..." He sighed with a dreamy expression.

Slowly, almost to an agonizing point, they crawled quietly over the rock ridges. The sudden silence that blanketed the beach left Harry tense. Jak bristled, eyes darting across the sand, searching the dark corners for hidden Metal Heads. The Wastelander before them had also grown cautious. His gun was held at the ready in his hands. White knuckles the only sign of his anxiety.

Then, they came.

They came in _hordes._

"Ambush!" Sig shouted, gun snapping up against a Metal Head's jaw.

"They are all around us!" Screamed Daxter in panic. The swarms of Metal Head approaching them in a circle from what seemed to be every point conceivable. They crawled from the pipework, the water, and the cliffs over head.

"The Peacemaker jammed!" Harry could hear Sig shout in the distance. "Take care of these things while I fix it!"

It was a blur of blood, teeth, claws, and yellow. It was as if instinct seemed to drive his actions independent from himself. As if someone else far more experienced in killing led his hand to fire with skilled accuracy. The excitement, the pure adrenaline, that surged through his body feeling the slick blood against his skin as the Metal Head's head imploded with Red Eco. The rush, the _fire _that burned in his blood.

It left him breathless as the last Metal Head fell, eyes searching for another.

Jak threw him a grin, the same glint in his eyes that hummed through Harry's body. "You haven't last your knack for attracting Metal Heads."

_Like you're complaining. _Harry thought packing his gun away. The rush slowly leading way to the far more familiar numbness. He let out a deep breath running a hand through his hair. The shaggy mess a combination blood, sweat, and sand. _I need a haircut..._

Daxter cast his eyes to Sig disdainfully as the large armored man kicked a severed Metal Head skull from his path. "That..." he started dully, "Was a _great _time to have the Peacemaker short out."

The Wastelander ignored the ottsel. Harry only able to see the outline of Sig highlighted by the moon and the red laser optic. The humming of the Peacemaker broke the silence, bathing the immediate area in a pulsating glow. He silently pointed out over the water toward an sharp cliff. A Metal Crab was crawling back and forth against the small platform it sat on. It chattered and growled incessantly, but never seemed to take aim at them.

"You know the drill." He told them gruffly.

Being that they had spent every last bit of ammo in their guns, Jak and Harry had to rely on their physical strength as the creatures came at them again. It was then, when Harry's hands twisted the neck of the creature, he noticed the numbness faded instantly. It gave way to the sense of excitement, to the absolute enjoyment of ending the life of the creature. Even as the last creature fell, head smashed against the rock by Jak, Harry just stared at the dead thing in his hands.

It wasn't the fact that fighting brought a mild sense of purpose back into Harry, but the fact that he didn't know if he should have felt bothered that the death of something made him feel better.

Isn't that what he wanted?

Why did it feel so wrong, but right at the same time?

"Boom!" Sig shouted as the Metal Head collapsed in a heap. This snapped Harry away from the thought, completely wiping it from his mind. "Home team five, Metal Heads nothing! That was the last one. Tell Krew we got 'em all cooked and canned. I'm going to clean the Peacemaker and pick up the trophies." He nodded to them impressed. "You did good rookies."

Harry tossed the dead creature from his hands. "See you around Sig." He mock saluted him with two fingers, following Jak as he headed toward the exit.

"Let's go back to the Hideout." Jak suggested tiredly, yawning.

"Yeah." Daxter nodded attempting to straighten out his fur. "I'm cold, wet, hungry, and been up since one in the morning! I can't run on just a few moments of sleep like you two."

Not that he'd admit it, but Harry was starting to feel the exhaustion creep into his limbs. The day had been spent traversing the bridges and fighting Metal Heads. He was barely able to stifle the yawn that was scratching at his throat.

"Rodent is right." Harry snorted. "It's cold out here..."

Jak smirked at him while Daxter just cast him a odd look. In Harry's exhaustion, his accent had become thick. Thicker than Jak had heard in a long time. It was almost hard to decipher what the teen had been saying if he wasn't so used to it.

"Admit it." he tossed him a knowing smirk, "You're tired."

"Not really." Harry answered stepping through the air lock in to Water Slums.

"Your accent thicker when you're tired." Jak admitted with a weary smirk, stretching his arms over his head. "You are starting to talk weird."

"I don't talk weird." Harry stated indignantly.

Jak walked on laughing.

"_Wanker..." _Harry hissed to his back.

The slapped together bridges of the Slums always seemed to give Harry a vertigo feeling. He felt unbalanced on a seemingly straight walk that bent ever so slightly to the right. He felt as if his next step would miss and he'd be swimming in the brown sludge below. They made their way in silence, all three far too tired to even contemplate a semi-important topic to talk on. Daxter had already fallen asleep draped over Jak's shoulder armor, making silence easier to keep.

Briefly Harry wondered if either of them would make it all the way back to the Hideout on foot. His eyes cast out across the bridge toward the lighted entrance of the shrine. "Jak, this way." He called stopping at the intersection. Harry waved the elf over, turning to head toward the shrine.

"Why?" There was a hint of a whine in Jak's voice as he turned himself to follow.

The shorter of the two explained. "I told you about the supplies here. I think I saw some Green Eco in it."

"So? It is useless to you." Jak reminded him stepping through the door, mildly surprised at the idol standing at the back of the room. "... A Precursor Idol? God, that's a flash from the past." He muttered crossing his arms over his chest.

"Really?" Harry raised a dark eyebrow ducking behind the statue as he had seen boy in the orange shirt do. He found a stash of crates behind the idol clearly labeled with what was in them. He searched for the Green Eco, pulling the container free. Stepping back he tossed the steel container to Jak who caught it with ease.

Popping the cap with his thumb, he dripped the green contents onto his hands. The green mist coiled and twisted lightly before lurching toward his mouth and nose. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath in, letting out a content sigh seeming instantly refreshed.

"Mmmph..." Daxter groaned, taking in a brief wisp of the Green Eco. His eyes fluttered open, exhaustion slipping away to the same content look on his face that Jak had for a moment. "Green Eco?" he glanced to the empty container in Jak's hand, then to the idol. He sat up a bit straighter, blinking away his daze. "Where are we?"

Harry responded, still miserably tired. "Precursor Shrine."

"I can see that," Daxter rolled his eyes, seemingly annoyed by the fact. "I hate these things." He brought up his hands mimicking someone speaking. "Stupid idols had us running all over the place back then. This one, thank the Precursors, doesn't talk." He leaned against the side of Jak's head. "I'd rather not go get two power cells thanks."

Jak chuckled at the reference while Harry was left clueless. Jak opened his mouth to explain, but the idol beside Harry burst to life.

"Greetings..." It breathed in a booming voice.

"I thought you said it didn't talk..." Harry muttered staring bewildered at the thing. It definitely had not done this the first time. The dull lifeless gems had suddenly awoken with a blue light completely separate from the reflection of the candles.

"I sense there is a dark rage burning within you and, in time, it will destroy you with its madness." The idol rumbled on. Jak's eyes darkened considerably, his lips tightening into a grim line. "Only the last power of the Precursors can save you. Destroy my enemies... The creatures you call the Metal Heads. Bring me twenty-five of their skull gems and I will teach you to control these powers.

Daxter growled, outraged. "See? Always do this then you get this with these damn things!" He seemed to miss the depth of what the idol had just said.

Harry, joining Jak near the entrance, moved to leave with him when the idol boomed. "Wait."

Both paused in mid-step, Harry assuming the idol was speaking once again to Jak.

"Human..."

_Well... That clarifies things... _

"The Dark One is not the only one with that hate within him... I cannot help you sooth what is to come... But I welcome your race back to our planet. Yet, you are not of Precursian blood... You are a black mark on a white fabric. In your banishment we thank you for playing this role you've decided on. Fine your penance and you'll be welcome home."

"Penance and _banishment? _What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Harry demanded, deeply confused by the words.

The idol shimmered for a moment.

"Not yet... You are not ready to know yet."


	16. Silencer

**Faithless: **I'm a horrible, horrible person, I only add to the questions about Harry... And it is a horribly short chapter. I am officially almost done working at the Olympics... SWWWEEETTT.

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Semi-Automatic

Part II: Losing It

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**Chapter Sixteen: **_Silencer _

Harry ground his teeth together sharply, rubbing his eyes with gloved hands frustrated and exhausted. Where Jak and Daxter had able to get a second breath with the Green Eco, he was left barely able to make it back to the base. No less his mind was swimming with what the idol had said to him. He glared at his reflection in the mirror in hopes that maybe it would explain to him what the idol had meant. Why, after being so forth coming with information, it had suddenly shut down leaving them in the light of the candles. Jak had to physically pull him from the shrine and shove him in the zoomer after twenty minutes of trying to get the idol to speak again. He had almost, if Jak hadn't stopped him, shot the thing. Not caring in the least that it was probably as sacrilegious as burning a cross and he would probably burn in a hell for it.

Reaching up to his neck he uncoiled the red scarf and threw it to the white floor carelessly.

If it meant getting some answers, Harry could deal with burning in hell.

The teen shed his jacket, it joined the scarf at his feet.

What had it meant? Banishment and penance?

What had he done to be considered _banished _from his world? What had he done to earn _that? _Any of what he could fathom being tossed out for he had done after he had come to Precursia. Was it getting betrayed by your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? Ending up in a graveyard with a mad man? Being tortured for a couple of hours?

Angrily he ripped down the zipper of his shirt, balled it up, and tossed it at the mirror. The shirt landing haphazard in the sink.

Anger crept slowly forward, flaring hungrily.

For being stuck with a family that cared so little about him? For surviving a curse that should have killed him?

"I wish the bloody thing worked." He bit out at his scarred reflection, damning it. He disrobed fully and stepped into the automated shower. The water that hit his skin gave the ice burn before kneading at the tensed muscles. Letting out a heavy sigh, he ran a hand through his slicked mop of black hair. He closed his eyes resting his forehead against the porcelain.

_Red flared with both delight and satisfaction at the boy writhing in pain before him, voice hoarse from screaming. The cruel tenor voice letting out hiss of a laugh. A simple, almost lazily, flick of a bone white wand stopped the boy from twisting in the dead fall and dirt. Emerald, thick with fear and pain, dared to slant over to the pale wizard towering in black robes. His sinewy hand twisted in his hair, pulling the boy to his knees with physical strength his lanky body hid. _

_"Did they truly believe a child could destroy me completely?" He asked with a hint of disgust in his voice. "A child so talentless as you was their savior?" The wizard let out a soft, but cruel laugh as the boy's eyes began to close. _

_"Don't be so eager to leave yet, Potter." The snake-like voice hissed into his ear, pausing to press the tip of the want into his neck. The boy letting out a horrible gasp as his skin burned. "I'm going to make your feel every ounce of pain I did for eleven years."_

Snapping his eyes open Harry took in a breath, hand coming to his neck. His fingers traveled against the smoothed out skin of the circle. He almost let out a laugh. It had been years since he had thought about that night. True, he had nightmares in his first few months of Invisera, but with so many things, survival being one of them, he had pushed them aside. He had never told anyone about the graveyard. Even Jak, who had admitted to him once what had happened to him in the month he had been in Haven Prison.

Harry let out another frustrated sigh.

If he ever got home, Mad Eye Moody was the first to go.

Stepping out of the shower, Harry opted to go without his shirt. He collected his clothes into a bundle and walked back into the bedroom. He dropped the clothes on top of his holster and rucksack. As he slipped the belt through the loop of his pants a knock on the door made a groan emit from him. He had slept through the night, that was for sure, but wouldn't have minded if he could go another few hours without someone knocking on his door.

When the door slid back he half expected to see Tess standing there, but found a pink haired woman his age with heavily pierced ears. The teen's eyebrows shot up to her hairline noticing instantly that he was shirtless and still wet. Whatever she had begun to say, dieing away in her throat.

Harry coughed, uncomfortable with the fact she was staring at his scar riddled chest.

He was surprised when the young woman flushed a deep red, turning away from him. It was that moment Harry realized she hadn't just been staring at the scars. "Oh... Uh... Jak asked me to tell you that he'll meet you at the bar... He, um, had to do a delivery." She stumbled covering her eyes with her hand. "Right... Bye." She spun around and practically ran down the hallway.

Shaking his head, a smile tugging at his lips, he turned back into the room. He grabbed his shirt and jacket slipping them on. He coiled the scarf around his neck and packed the holster to his leg. Twenty minutes, and a stolen zoomer later, Harry found himself flying through South Town. Without the K.G on his back, Harry took some time to experiment with the S.S zoomer. It was like, in all reality, flying a broom.

And yet, it wasn't.

The rumble of the engine, the sound, and the pure fact it was made of metal set it apart drastically. There was no magic holding this up, just pure science and Eco.

Coming into the Port Harry spotted the bar over the bay. Sailing high over the water, he slid the bike to a stop in front of Jak. He had been leaning up against the wall, head angled down, ankles and arms crossed as if he was about to fall asleep.

"Look who decided to join us!" Daxter shouted with a smirk, snapping Jak out of daze.

"Why didn't you come and get me?" Harry asked sliding off the zoomer.

"We tried, Wolfie." The ottsel told him shaking his head. "You sleep like a friggin' Lurker."

Harry twisted his mouth searching for a response, but failed as he didn't know what a Lurker was. He settled with a half hearted shrug.

"Better than turning green." Jak commented.

"_That _wasn't green." Harry scowled entering the bar beside him. "That was my skin burning off. It wasn't so funny."

"What is your deal with Eco man?" Daxter leaned forward on Jak's shoulder to give Harry a curious look. "I mean seriously, if you were _that _tired why didn't you just take some of the Green?"

Jak waved his hand to quiet him as Krew spotted them from other end of the bar. Harry grimaced as the smell, still a pungent as before, crawled over him as the man came closer. "Sig tells me you two handle yourselves well."

Harry spoke first. "We got by."

"You two are turning out to be quite useful, 'ey? Hmmm..." He cast his eyes towards the trophies on his shelves, debating something silently. "I have another task for you. The Sewers used to be a fabulous smuggling route for me before the Baron installed security devices."

It didn't take a rocket scientist for any of them to figure out what he wanted.

"And before those late night snack runs kept you from fitting out the front door." Daxter piped in, making the motion for trying to fit through a too-small space.

"Dax..." Jak warned lightly, glancing toward Krew. Neither Harry or Jak wanted to have to deal with Sig under orders to take their heads off because Daxter had insulted him. He cast his eyes momentarily to Sig, the armored man sitting in a booth. He was smirking into his drink, but kept his eyes on the wall opposite him.

"I bet you've hatched another 'brilliant' plan in that hungry little brain of yours." Jak tossed out, tapping his temple. "So who, or what, do we have to shake down, knock out, or blow up?" He ended on a defeated note.

Krew tapped his fingers together greedily. "Well, I need _someone _to go down and shoot every sentry gun in the Sewers. Also, since you work for the Underground. Those sewers will be of good use to the Shadow." He added as if and after thought. "You'll be rewarded if you succeed."

Harry was more than willing to do the mission, Daxter it seemed was less than enthused with the concept of running around a sewer. "Let me guess... Dank, murky water?" Krew nodded, "Reeks worse than your breath at an oyster fest?"

Eyes narrowed dangerously, a snarl twisting at his pugdy lips.

"Fuller o' Metal Heads than your plate at a one pass buffet?" He added on, ignoring the murderous look on the obese man's face.

Jak let out a groan, running his gloved down his face knowing that no matter what he said that Daxter wouldn't stop. The human made a grab for Daxter, but the ottsel moved out of his way opening his mouth to continue on. Harry wanted nothing more than to silence the thing for five minutes so they could at least get their asses out of the fire he had so steadily chucked gas on.

For a second Harry thought that some one had come up behind him and drove a knife in the base of his skull and twisted. He stumbled back, hands snapping to the back of his skull. His lips clamped tightly to stop the groan from slipping out. He turned away from Krew, using a table to steady himself.

Without a second thought, Jak stepped forward taking attention away from him. "We're not doing anything until you tell us why the Metal Heads are trading with the Baron's forces."

"I should have had you both knee-capped, 'ey?" He growled, his triple chin wobbling with anger. "All I know is that the Baron cut a desperate deal with the Metal Head Leader. Mmmm, Metal Heads need Eco, so the Baron supplies them with regular shipments. In return, the Metal Heads agreed to attack the city just enough to satisfy the Baron's continued rule!"

Jak eyes widened lightly at this.

"The Baron is running short on Eco, 'ey? And the Metal Heads are short on patients. Baron Praxis needs this war to keep in power. Otherwise, the city would put the true ruler on the throne... Where ever that little brat is."

Harry noticed, through watering eyes, that Sig tensed at this. He glowered in Krew's direction, but his eyes turned back to the half empty glass in his hand. It was when Harry had cast his eyes back toward Jak he realized that Daxter had stopped talking.

... Not for his lack of trying.

"Harry and I will clear the Sewers. We haven't forgotten about the reward you promised in return." He snapped, grabbing Daxter by the neck, and walking out the bar.

"_Bloodsuckers..._" He caught Krew muttered disdainfully.

Once outside the bar, Daxter was almost turning blue with his attempt to scream. He grasped at his throat, coughing dryly. "What's wrong with him?" Jak asked considering Daxter with worry. The rodent was now laying on his stomach twisting on the ground, still trying to scream or yell.

"Did you do that?" He asked raising both eyebrows. "... This one of those magic things?"

"I think so..." Harry answered with a frown, the pain ebbing away slowly.

Despite Daxter's current situation, Jak smirked. "So... You can make people lose their voices? Damn, where were you when I was growing up?"

This earned him a heated glare from the mute ottsel.

"Earth." He told him bending down to pick Daxter up by the scruff of the neck. His eyes narrowed dangerously. He chuckled to himself lightly. _If looks could kill, Dax. "_I can't make people lose their voice... But there is something called a Silencing Curse... I never said the words and I don't have my wand..." He trailed off.

Jak asked. "Is it reversible?"

The human was silent.

"Harry?" The seventeen year old asked again, this time with a edge of concern.

Harry shrugged.

Daxter fainted.

* * *

- 0 -

They rode the elevator into the depths of the city without a word. Daxter sulked on Jak's shoulder glaring intensely at Harry every chance he got. Harry, despite the minor worry that he had muted the ottsel for life, just cracked a spiteful smile in his direction. He didn't want to admit that what had happened was completely out of his control. A random surge of magic. The fact that the pain had been so intense he nearly passed out worried him far more than Daxter never being able to tossed out a witted one-liner again.

That train of thought, however, came to a very abrupt end the very moment the doors opened. The mixture of garbage, stagnant water, decay, and waste hit both of them like a solid wall.

"For the love of..." Jak hissed hand snapping to his nose as he eyes watered, even Daxter turned his nose up at the stench that wafted along the metal corridors. The only grace that the place seemed to offer was the weak flickering light that spanned the corridor... Unfortunately, the grace only lasted as long as it took for the green creatures at the end to notice them.

They were easy to dispatch, but the simple fact that where the green frogs were, the larger red ones were soon to follow. They came to the end of the corridor, filled to the brim with sewer water.

Harry intended to make it across the small metal platform that extended from the wall. The moment the boy stepped forward, a hand clasped around his collar and pulled him back just as a energized bullet roared past his face.

The elf had put far too much force into the panicked grab causing Harry to lose balance and land in a puddle brown water. As he forced himself back up, the foul water dripping from his jacket, he scowled at the blonde. "You _really _have to stop that..."

Daxter laughed silently while Jak rolled his eyes. "Yes, I will make it a note of not saving your ass..." His eyes traveled back to the tunnel entrance where the bullet had come from with a frown. "This must be one of the turrets that Krew was talking about... Motion activated..."

The turrets weren't the problem. Everything else was.

From the moving panels, unstable walkways that collapsed into a whole horde of Metal Heads, the flickering lights, the smell, to the boiler pipes that filled the corridors with skin blistering steam. By the end of four hours they were able to crawl, bruised, from the underbelly of Haven City.

"Ah! Glorious fresh air!" Daxter shouted suddenly as they light stung their eyes. Both Jak and Harry snapped their eyes to him surprised and relieved, but only Jak showed that emotion. Daxter, taking a moment, realized what he had just done and threw his arms into the air. "_Yes! _I can talk again! Thank the Precursors!"

"Or damn them..." Harry muttered under his breath.

Jak nudged Harry in the side with a smirk. "And here I was enjoying the silence."

* * *

- 0 -

"The Port is huge!" Daxter complained as they left the Hip Hog, "There are hundreds of places that someone could stash a crate." He looked down to Jak irately crossing his arms over his chest. "I mean _come on _we just did fours hours in a Sewer for him!"

The elf tapped the side of his temple. "Think Dax. Krew is a large man, and I mean large, but he ain't that smart."

Harry, catching on faster than the ottsel, snapped his fingers. "The Gun Course."

"My point exactly." Jak nodded sharply.

Once inside the Course, Harry took to searching a long line of red and white crates pressed up against the wall. Jak to the other side while Daxter decided that he was much better at creating horrible, but correct, nicknames for the Krew. If Harry had learned anything from the few days he'd known Daxter, work wasn't in his vocabulary.

Kicking open a crate Harry shifted through the useless parts of guns and dismantled weapons. He recognized certain parts from his training, knowing how to use the, but never how to put them back together. It fascinated him sometimes and he found himself wondering how all the parts worked together. With magic you never asked questions because well, it was magic. The answer, more often than not, just spawned more questions.

"Why the hell do they need all this crap anyway?" Asked Daxter kicking a red disc across the floor towards Jak who practically crawled up the wall to avoid it. The human, recognizing the disc as a defensive bomb, froze as if his breath would activate it. The device was capable of breaking bones by the mere concussive wave the emitted from it in an open field. In such a small space, filled with live ammo and what ever else was in these crates, he had no doubt their internal organs would burst and every bone in their bodies would shatter.

Daxter tsked at them. "What? It is just a useless piece of junk..." He reached out to touch it again, but Jak's hand snapped out.

"Daxter," Jak started eying the bomb, "Don't. Touch. Anything."

Glancing to his right, where the bomb had landed, Harry spotted the slender Gun Mod. As Jak filled Daxter in on what exactly the bomb would do to him, the ottsel swallowing thickly, he picked them out of the crate. "Found 'em." He waved the Mods in his hands drawing the seventeen year old's attention. "... Can you disarm that thing first?" he jerked his chin toward the blinking bomb, "Bloody thing is making me nervous." He had, after all, just gotten his healing ability back.

The teen nodded in agreement as Daxter eyed him worriedly. "Do you know how to disarm a bomb?"

"More or less." Jak answered unscrewing the top and pulling at the wires inside.

"More or less?" The ottsel's voice cracked slightly, "Are you _freakin' _kidding me?! I don't want to be splattered on the walls thanks!" He inched away from Jak slowly at the teen continued to pull at the wires.

"Daxter," Harry said with a sigh, "If he didn't know how to do it - either of us would have been splattered on the bomb range walls years ago and you wouldn't be pissing in your pants at the moment."

The ottsel flattened his ears against his skull pointing at the elf saying harshly. "The last time I was around him and a bomb - _I _ended up in the Dark Eco! Sorry if I get a little nervous!"

"Dark Eco?" echoed Harry, "You ended up in..."

"Got it." Called out Jak suddenly standing up from the dismantled bomb. He held out his hand expectantly for the Mod. Harry handed it to him, still curious about what Daxter had meant about ending up _in _Dark Eco... And why Jak was so intent on not answering when he voiced the question again. He glanced to Daxter, back on Jak's shoulder as he fitted the Mod, but the ottsel merely shrugged.

_Right, _Harry reminded himself with a smirk, _the past is off limits. _


	17. Zombie Life

**Faithless: **This chapter ran over me, backed up, and ran over me again. Twice.

(Note: Things in this chapter are very different, AND IMPORTANT, so I can't even tell you to skip parts to those who have been reading since the first version. Though, it might be a little refreshing to see different things. And yes. I hinted in some chapters that Harry did say what he did to the Baron. :) )

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**Semi-Automatic**

Part II: Losing It

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**Chapter Seventeen:** _Zombie life_

_Being cold is one of those common, mundane things. It was a sense that most took for granted, really, but to me it had become a constant reminder that I was still alive. The sharp, cold bite that picked at exposed skin mockingly. 'you're still here,' it laughed, 'and I'm going to be right here laughing in your face.' Pain, they say, let's you know you're alive. How can you tell when you are in a constant state of it? Awake or a sleep? Real life or nightmares, I was plagued by it. I felt like a zombie from the low-budget horror movies Dudley used to watch. Body alive, but brain dead; stumbling forward, groaning, and craving only one thing. You can beat it down, you can cut it, you can shoot it, but it will keep coming until you've severed the head. _

_If I cut my head off, I wondered, would it grow back? _

_Heh, that would have been kinda... cool. _

_I was slipping and I knew it. Slowly, but surely, I was heading closer and closer to the vertical drop. The worst thing being... I saw it coming. Keeping track of my sanity was vain at best when I only had the men locked away in Death Row to compare myself to. The psychopaths, rapists, murders, and sociopaths that the world no longer wanted. Conditions in Death Row were enough to kill. Smog ridden air, filthy cells, and rotted food. Some screamed, other didn't, and they all stopped eventually. _

_Haven City's death sentence was never long. They were gone before they were missed. _

_There was one man, I never knew his name or saw his face, that was placed in the empty cell beside mine. I was hanging onto my sanity by a threat that was ready to snap. I muttered to myself constantly about nothing or held full conversations with the shadows in my room. He had called through the bars asking if I was alright. I didn't answer, too bewildered by a fact another voice had spoken besides my own. He had walked over to the small barred window that stood in the wall that separated our cells and asked again. The window far too high for him to see through. _

_Once again I didn't answer and he left it alone. The first time I came back from the injection, shuddering and moaning, he didn't ask what happened or if I was alright. He just started talking, I couldn't tell you what he had been talking about, but he just kept talking. It became something to focus on, something to listen to other than my own demented thoughts. After a few days I started to wake up. I started to feel clear headed. I joined the conversations, even joked at times. He told me about his brother, an idiot, and I told him that he sounded like my cousin. I told him everything. From being from another world, being human, and life at Hogwarts. I don't think he ever believed me, but he entertained the idea of it. I never told him about the experiments or how old I was, but everything else was laid out in odd conversations. He probably thought I was insane, but it didn't matter really at that point. _

_I had that man to thank for helping me back, unintentionally, from the edge I was so close to falling off of. _

_The guards used to taunt him relentlessly. Saying that even after all this time they had finally caught him. They laughed when they told him they had killed his son and what they had done to his wife. He never responded other than to verbally insult one of the guards. He never made a sound when the guards tried to beat information out of about something called the Underground. He never asked me why I came back daily half conscious or why the guards called me a freak so I never asked what they had meant. _

_It was a rule, I suppose, we made. A don't ask, don't tell concept. _

_He prayed once, near the end, he didn't pray to be released or to be saved, he just prayed. I had barely heard the man through the bars, I suspected he probably didn't want to be heard. I broke the rule then. I asked why he prayed. Why he sounded so relieved despite the fact he was going to be killed days from then. Why he wasn't angry, why he wasn't as spiteful as I had been in the beginning. _

_He told me he wasn't worried. He had regrets, yes, but he knew the risks of the life he lead. He'd done everything he had set out to do and he was fine with dying. There wasn't anything really left for him to do. He wasn't angry about it, he didn't want it, but he was fine with it. _

_He said to me. "I'll die knowing that everything will be alright in the end." _

_I was taken from my cell not even an hour after that conversation. My leg, previously broken and not healed, caused me to tall to the side with a loud thud. The guards watched amused as I struggled to get back to my feet with a grimace. A chance glance into the cell I had fallen in front of I saw a shadow of a person. He laying on his cot, barely outlined by the muted light, staring at me. I turned away from the shadow and limped away without a second thought to who it might be. _

_When I came back, when I became coherent, there was silence from his cell. I thought, for a moment, that he had been taken already. I had always expected it to happen, but I was angry about it. The man was far too sane, for too... righteous to be killed in a place like this. _

"_You're just a kid..." _

_I never answered him. I wasn't able to force 'I know' through my lips. Months in here with nothing but the guards, I had started to wonder if I was really human at all. If I was ever, if possible, a person let alone a kid. To have someone else say it aloud... It didn't make things better, it made them worse. _

_He asked me, days ago, why I didn't beg to be let out or scream innocent. I didn't answer then and I didn't answer the second time he asked me... But the answer was simple. I knew, the moment I saw the horrified look on Jak's face, there was no point. _

_I waited months for my turn, the man waited three weeks. They took him from the cell and, like so many others, he never came back. No one else was ever placed in that cell afterward. _

_I knew, somewhere in the back of my mind, they were never going to kill me on purpose. I was too valuable. They broke my arms to see how fast they would heal. They gave me higher and higher doses of the serum to see if I would survive. A beating heart, a scientist had said, was just that. A beating heart. They could work with that, it was a corpse they couldn't. They left me holding a fragmented sanity and a zombie-like life. I lost my name, dignity, pride, and most my __sanity... but the only thing I wanted them to take, they shoved back in my hand. _

_It was two months after that the blackouts started. _

_The automated doors hissed when they opened. Loudly. It was routine, really. Injection and then a 'session' to test if the abnormally fast healing ability had gotten faster. It never did, but they truly didn't care. I got the aggression they couldn't take out on those who caused it. The slamming of the door on the tracks never failed to jerk me out of a daze or the rare occasions I had fallen asleep. It used to be out of fear, but had become anticipation. Six months had done far more damage than a year in Invisera. The isolation, the beatings, and the injections had left me craving the chair. Hoping that each time I got in it, I wouldn't leave. So, obediently, I would walk there without raising a hand. _

_I had given up at that point. There was nothing left for me to cling to. I had no pride, no dignity, I was just a fifteen year old child stretched beyond his limit. Five days before that I had done something that I would never, for the rest of my life, be able to forget... or forgive. _

_The Baron had always hung a false card of freedom over my head. If I just agreed to become a part of the Krimzon Guard, if I obeyed him and worked for him, I'd be set free. _

_For six months I said no, but eventually I just shook my head, and then I said okay. He told me if I survived the week, he'd let me out. That injection was the last one I had to endure before I'd start my life as a K.G. Even if I hadn't been changed by the experiments. My healing and Invisera training still held me as a good solider. The sessions had stopped and so had the taunting from the guards on patrol. I knew that I'd never seen anyone I knew again. That I would never have to look into their faces knowing I was a complete and utter failure. _

_They strapped me to the chair__ pulling the leather tight pressing my body against the metal that smelled thickly of blood. My blood. _

_It seemed to be something of a constant in my life. _

_Being restrained. _

_There was never time to prepare for the sensation that the spider-like machine could deal to the unfortunate bastard trapped inside it. It was instant, it was intense, it was mind numbing. The twisted combination of being burned alive and buried in concrete. The freezing and the bone shattering power that ripped through my body all at once. My insides torn a part and the fire burning what was left. I had no thoughts in those moments. I wasn't able to think about the pain or about how it hurt, just nothing. I wondered, often, if I blacked out during the injection. It took months for me to realize that I hadn't. There was nothing to remember. _

_When the machine charges, there are a few seconds of relief. A brief period to think while your body is in shock. In that fraction of a second I had slipped out for the first time. _

_As a child, locked in a cupboard stomach twisting with hunger, I would often go to a place in my head. An empty expanse where I hid when the world stopped making sense. There was no anger, no pain, no sense of being. It wasn't blissful, it was horrifying, but it was also numb. It had been years since I had been there, but after that day I would go there often. _

_Nothing was there before. _

_Nothing was ever suppose to be there. _

_Like a flood gate opened, pure and raw emotion hit me in a wave. It was like nothing I had ever felt before, nothing I had imagined I could feel. It was like a drug, and like a drug, it drew me in. Dragging me toward the intoxicating sense of power and freedom. As if this emotion, this thing, in the dark could do what I couldn't and what I wouldn't. _

_It felt as if a hand had reached into my chest and ripped my heart free. I had no will to stop it, no voice to push it away. I had given up and it had crawled up from the depths to take over. It was in that moment I dared to open my eyes. I was standing. Just standing on the thin bridge that linked the platform the cell block. None of the eight elves noticed I was there. I couldn't, for a moment, understand why. _

_Then I looked at my hands. They were a transparent blue I had only ever seen on the ghosts of Hogwarts. Unlike most, I knew there was a after life. I had seen it when I was eleven when a eighteenth century ghost popped his nearly severed head through a bowl chicken wings. _

_Was I dead?_

_The sound came back to the world in a long, loud alarm. The screen displaying a green jumping line now a dull flat red. _

_I was dead. _

_In movies, books, and even some people have said that your life flashes before your eyes the moment you know you're going to die. You seen every moment, every grand event, from your childhood on to the moment your breath hitches in your throat and your heart gives its final beat. _

_I didn't. _

_I never wanted to. There was nothing I wanted to see or remember of my life. It would have been a large amount of regrets stacked on top of each other waiting to be pushed over like a tower of blocks. Maybe it was because I had no time to contemplate being dead as I was dying. I just died. The urge to walk through the nearest wall, just to float through into the world was overwhelming. I was free, then. There was nothing holding me back from leaving. Death had been every ounce the savior I wanted it to be. _

_But I stayed. I wanted to see what would happen to my body. _

_The guards faces dropped in sheer horror and panic. Their Commander, Errol, twisted around to the control panel with a furious look. The scientists scattered, medics rushing forward trying to breathe life back into the corpse laying in the chair. _

_The person, the corpse, on the table looked like death. His bone pale skin was stretched thinly over his bones. His head was lulled to the side, eyes a clouded green, and his hands laying limply in the straps with palms exposed. I could clearly see the crescent scars etched into the skin where he, where I, had clenched my hands so tightly they bled. _

_Hours before release and their toy had broken. Too much strain and it had cracked under pressure. _

_I was laughing at the irony of it all. _

_Errol gripped the edges of the panel teeth grinding in aggravation. "For Mars' sake..." He cast his eyes up to the screen lazily with a frown, the anger short lived. He turned back to the scientists and the female medic who had finally given up. "What the hell happened?" His tone did little to hide the fact he was unimpressed with the idea of telling the Baron Praxis the experiment hadn't lasted through the final treatment. _

_I had hoped the bastard would shoot him for it. _

_A gangly nervous looking scientist stammered through his explanation. "His genetic strands were pulled for some reason. This caused a systematic shut down of his system. Half his cells were in a state of decay, most done in." He trailed off pushing his thick glasses back on his nose. _

"_... In other words," Errol translated, "you're telling me his DNA fell a part?"_

_He nodded quickly as the red headed Commander flicked the switch to the screaming machine. The platform was dropped into a sudden silence. "W-well... He only had twenty-three chromosomes in his ge-genetic c-coding. We ha-have twenty-four to accommodate E-" _

"_We weren't giving him Eco." Errol reminded shortly crossing his arms over the chest plate he wore. He leaned against the control panel with a frown. "Why would that matter? It is irrelevant to the enhancers and the canine blood." _

_The scientist said nothing more, just as confused by the sudden death as everyone else. The Commander had always struck me to be a man that shot first and sorted out the bodies later. Impulsive, easily provoked, not one to think before leaping. Someone that wouldn't take the time to understand the science, only wanting the results. I was right in some aspects, but very wrong in others. _

_That's what I noticed it. _

_My hand twitched. A slight, almost hidden, twitch of my fingers._

_The glazed eyes, staring lifelessly at me, became dilated then slitted like an animal. The clouded color drained to amber, matching the Commander, and canines crawled down into my bottom lip. The straining groan that came from chapped lips made my blood run cold. I watched, shell shocked, as life seeped back into the body. Changes I had known were happening finally taking physical form. _

_I was... disappointed. _

_The machine began to play a monotone beat of a heart. Calm, easy, and alive. _

_The room fell silent._

_In a split second the beat went into a frenzy. My hands tensed as nails crawled out, extending beyond natural length. A roar escaped my lips with fury and power. The thing I had felt in the dark, the one that pushed me out, threw my mutated body at them with cannibalistic fury. The thing, beyond what I was, took the first life I had ever taken. It wasn't a solider or a scientist, or even the Commander... It was the medic that had tried to bring me back. A woman no older than twenty, unarmed, and helpless. It ripped her apart, biting, and tearing until there was nothing left. It grinned with blood soaked teeth and roared with absolute joy in what it was doing. _

_I had given the Baron what he wanted, a mutated solider who had already agreed to join the K.G. The thing took it away. I never knew what happened in my blackouts. Only that after that day I became violent and angry _

_And I never remembered why._

_

* * *

_

- Semi-Automatic -

The wizard scowled deeply at a woman who twisted around to stare at the shrine with alarm. The sharp cries of distress echoing in the relative silence of the Slums. His hand twitched toward the gun in warning and the woman took a sharp turn, slipping out of his sight. His eyes flicked over the bridges and buildings, but found no one staring or walking towards the shrine. Relaxing slightly he leaned heavily against the green T.S zoomer behind him. He knew why the woman had stopped and he didn't blame her. It took every ounce of self control he had not to barge into the shrine with every alarmingly painful cry that rang out from inside.

The enclosed stone walls muffled the booming voice, but did nothing for the absolute agony that laced the yells coming from inside. If the air wasn't electrified with Eco, Harry would have been in there in a heart beat. His skin crawled with merely being in the vicinity of the shrine. He doubted if he walked in, he would be able to walk out. No, his job at the moment was to keep curious people at bay and watch for K.G. The presence of a gun was enough to scare away the common towns person, but the occasional one needed a verbal warning.

Five minutes had quickly fallen into fifteen and then twenty. The dark haired young man grew more anxious as time continued on and the yells abruptly cease. He strained to hear the muffled words of the idol, but soon decided if it was worth him knowing he'd ask Jak straight. Nothing was ever gained from half heard conversations. Letting out another sigh, he watched it turn into a thick cloud of mist and raise up into the fire lit sky. Harry knew that the city was, to a point, weather regulate. If he had to take a guess it was close to fall or whatever they happened to call it here. Invisera's weather never truly changed with the seasons. Summer was blistering hot, spring the same, fall, the same, and winter it rained for weeks.

Invisera was tropical, Haven City sat on a coast. If the temperature continued to drop, Harry expected to see it snow. Another thing he wasn't looking forward to.

The creak of the door spun Harry around in time to see Jak stumble out of the shrine. He used the wall for support, gasping for mouthfuls of air. The seventeen year old looked as if he had picked a fight with a Metal Head and lost. His eyes blood shot, skin sickly pale, and teeth grinding sharply against some unseen pain. Whatever had happened had left Jak drained physically... and different. Daxter, who had walked in making a joke about Precursor Idols, came out shaken.

"Jak?" Harry ventured stepping forward, but was immediately forced to take a step back. His hand clasped at the fabric of his shirt, chest on fire with the same burning that had nearly paralyzed him in the alley. He hunched his shoulders turning away from Jak in an attempt to control hand like vice the burning had on his heart. "S-Shit."

"Wolfie? You alright?" Daxter asked, his voice getting closer.

The burning grew more intense, so intense that Harry thought he was going to burst into flames. He nearly fell over himself to get away from the source. Whirling around, panicked he was going to slip out, he found that Jak was extending his hand to his shoulder. He smacked the hand away breathing harshly. "Don't come near me..."

For a moment Jak seemed confused, alarmed even, but realization filtered over his face as he took several paces back. He voice hoarse and raw. "Dark Eco radiation."

"Wow... You're that sensitive to it?" The ottsel muttered studying the human with a frown.

"Sorry." Jak apologized shaking his head as he clenched his hand. "I wasn't thinking." For a second Jak's mask slipped, his eyes glaring at his hand as if it was appalling, as if _he_ was something disgusting. It was quickly replaced with grim set eyes as he asked dropping his hand to his side. "What now?"

"To a pissed off Underground Commander," Harry told them trying to compose himself, "We were suppose to be there three hours ago." He hadn't meant to lurch away from the teen like that, but it was unavoidable. Not that he would ever admit it, but the sensation ignited the the panic that spawned the blackouts. He was far more afraid of losing his tenuous grasp of control in front of Jak and Daxter than anything at that moment. He had never told them about the condition and he didn't want to be found out in a violent lapse. "I think it would be better if I went alone..."

Besides the fact Harry wasn't able to get within five feet of the teen, he looked ready to fall over and that, in itself, wasn't normal. He backed away from the zoomer motioning for Jak to take it. "Head to the bar... Get a drink or something."

"Yeah..." Jak muttered stepping into the zoomer. Daxter, from his shoulder, twisted around to look at Harry.

"You gonna be alright there, Short-Ears?"

Harry snorted, but gave a nod as Jak took off. Just as the zoomer cleared a bend his eyes landed on a young man just about to start a S.S. His hand moved toward the gun at his leg almost daring the man to take off with the vehicle. He wisely backed away, mortified, and dashed back into a house leaving the keys in the ignition.

The ride to the base was quick and uneventful. Without Jak at the wheel or anywhere near him, it was easier to stay under the K.G's notice. He enjoyed the death of Krimzon Guard just as much as anyone, but the blonde tended to take it an extreme. Going out of his way to clip a guard and give him the excuse to run them over.

Upon entering the base he found Torn speaking to a group of five elves spread across the room. He slipped behind two standing near the entrance, ducking behind one of the bunk bed ladders.

"Do you understand?" Torn finished casting his eyes over the group with a grim expression. They nodded with a low rumble of agreement. They stood and filed up the staircase back into Haven City, two heatedly arguing about the map the in the taller man's hand.

"This way is better..."

"No. This way has less K.G."

"... Look who decided to show up." Torn growled snapping his attention back to the tattooed Commander. He was met with neutral contempt. He had told them in the beginning what he thought of those who couldn't follow a timeline. His eyes flicked over his shoulder then back to Harry raising an eyebrow. "Where is Jak and the rat?" He asked as Harry stepped up to the table alone.

"Not here. Tell me what you want and I'll play messenger boy." Harry told him flippantly.

Growling with frustration he spoke with a certain edge that conveyed both anger and mild disappointment. "The mission I was going to send you two on has already been covered. You get to play pick up boy also. Be lucky that I'm not docking your pay for this."

_Late equals shitty missions. _Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine. What is it that you want me to pick up."

Torn motioned Harry closer to the table where a map of Haven City rolled across the entire surface. He pointed to a location in the Industrial Sector the human had yet to visit. What he could make from the quick glance at the label it said '_P.S.' _

"Not what, who. One of the Baron's mining operations is under attack by Metal Heads." The man told him flatly.

"Why do we care?" They were against the Baron, why would they be asked to go and _help _one of his operations when the Metal Head were doing their job for them? "I have no problem with that. Makes the Metal Heads good for something."

The heated look in Torn's eyes told Harry to 'shut up and listen' far better than words could have. "I have a problem since the foreman is one of the Underground's best informants." He growled. "His name is Vin and he's just valuable enough to save. Find the Warp Gate at the Power Station and use it to travel the Strip Mine so you can save Vin's pathetic hide."

He nodded curtly to show he understood what was being asked of him and Jak. It was then the elf's face fell pensive. He crossed his arms over his chest and studied the map of Haven City intently. "Whatever deal the Baron made with the Metal Heads... The city's Eco is almost gone and his time is running out. If we don't get the kid back on the throne soon, there may not be a city left to defend."

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but closed it just as quickly taking that as his cue to leave. What was he suppose to say to that? It was the same as when Tess had asked him what a Hype was doing in a Haven City radical group. It came down to a simple fact; he just didn't care.

It was twenty minutes later that he found himself staring at the mammoth bar sign that stood on the overhand. The neon lights flashing dully in the sun. A heavily damaged zoomer smoking off to his left. The ride to the Hip Hog had been full with K.G. He had just chased off the last of them, but sported a healing burn mark where a bullet had raced past his face.

"So what did Torn want?" Daxter asked as soon as he spotted Harry.

The wizard dropped his eyes down to the two silently. Jak, looking refreshed, kept his distance from him raising an eyebrow asking a silent question. _Is it safe? Can you still feel it? _

"Saving some idiot from being 'Metal meat... Daxter you'd better know the where the hell the Power Station is." He growled crawling into to the T.S zoomer Jak had parked beside the bar. Climbing into the side drivers seat the blonde took off.

"Whoa," Daxter laughed, "someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

The growl turned into an animalistic snarl.

"Geez, take a joke man. It is in the Industrial Sector. Calm down, Puppy, I can see the vein from back here."

The only thing that saved Daxter from being a strangled with in and inch of his life was the fact he was on Jak's shoulder and Jak was driving past a patrol of guards.

The Power Station was a suspended platform in the middle of a long, deep, building with machines and generators crawling up the sides. Powered down consoles ringed the metal platform with large screens and no keyboards. The occasional screen that was powered streamed out information in charts and levels in speeds that even a native Precursian had a hard time comprehending before it slipped away. Stepping up to one of the touch screens Jak ran a had over the smoothed surface, but it didn't react. He frowned at the console, but didn't attempt to touch any of the dials or buttons that littered the console unmarked.

Harry had seen complex systems before, the room position over the V.R training courses being one, yet this was something else. Stalled cylinders stood against the walls extending up to the walls to converge at the top to a a clear sphere laying haphazard in a yellow ring. Cords were strung everywhere. Some connecting to tubes that split off in several directions at once, others twisted together, and most looked as if they were knotted.

"That must be the gate that Torn said to use." Daxter pointed down a small catwalk to their left.

A eight foot bronze ring was tucked away at the back of the catwalk. It spun slowly, the inner ring wavering in what seemed to be intense heat. He, unlike the two behind him, had never seen something like it before.

"What is that?"

Daxter stared at him with disbelief. "You have to be kidding me..."

Jak, however, didn't look up from the console. "A Warp Gate. It takes you from one place to another in a matter of seconds. It's powered by Blue... Eco..." The elf trailed off as realization crawled across his face, his hand coming down on a green button.

The gate came to life in a swirl of white and blue that made Harry jump back as if he had been burned, eyes wide. The swirl dissipated almost instantly leaving a rippling screen. His breath quickened as the memories came screaming back.

_Are you done playing our game, Potter? Your Father put a far better fight forward than this._

"Harry, snap out of it." Jak knocked him back to reality with a rough shake of his shoulder.

"Huh-uh... what?" He stumbled.

"You spaced," Daxter told him, "when the gate turned on. You got all horrified." The ottsel mimicked a look of terror while Jak waited for an explanation.

"Just... a bad memory."

The blonde turned to look at the portal, lips pressed into a thin like. "Nothing uncommon about that..."

"I don't think this will do anything to me." He told him suddenly stepping forward. He was able to get within feet of the machine with out the expected sting of Eco across his skin. He even went so far as to touch the metal ring. It was hot to the touch, but it didn't burn his fingers or turn them blue. He took back his hand showing it to Jak with a lopsided smirk.

The elf, who had tensed when he had gone near it, relaxed considerably. "I'm going on ahead of you," he warned, "the first time using a 'Gate is disorientating. Just jump through, but wait a moment before you do." Jak smirked casting his eyes over his shoulder. "I'd rather not get trampled on."

"Temping idea," Harry mused with a grin that made Daxter laugh.

"At least wait till I'm outta the way, Wolfie."

He watched with interest as Jak disappeared through the surface of the screen. He half expected the elf to come out the other side, but with a violent flash of blue the young man was completely gone. Harry waited until the surface of the gate had calmed down before he approached it. He tensed his shoulders, took in a deep breath, and pressed himself through the screen.

The wizard knew about three types of almost instantaneous magical travel. He had never avapparted, but he had been unfortunate enough to have experienced Flooing and a Port Key. They had nothing on a Warp Gate. As soon as his skin touched the surface he was vaulted forward and slammed to a halt. He didn't spin like Floo, it was if his body had been stalled in mid step for a fraction of a second before he was sucked forward again. His vision was completely black before flaring brilliantly white. A faint sting bit into his skin just as he realized that his feet had hit solid ground.

The first thing that Harry registered was it was cold and he was alone. He let out a hiss of pain as the world around him was only a screen of eye-watering white. Slowly shapes began to form, then colors, and after several moments he was able to take in the Strip Mine. Cranes, saws, and conveyor belts worked themselves above while a a large operations building stuck up in the middle of the compound. Beyond the building was a sheer drop, the ocean, and the fire lit horizon.

What unnerved Harry wasn't that the place was abandoned, but the large pools of Dark Eco nestled between gravel mounds and the operations building. He had never see Dark Eco in a concentrated state or so much of it. It was pure black, but reflected purple as it moved and twisted on itself... Almost as if it was alive. Dark Eco had a distinct smell, one that was so strong it was almost painful. There was nothing Harry could compare it to, only that it was sharp, thick, and heavy.

_BANG _

The sound spun the human away from the Dark Eco, eyes darting the lifeless mine, and hand reaching for his gun. It was the unmistakable sound of a gunshot, but the echo made it nearly impossible for Harry to pin point the location. Rushing forward, gun in hand, Harry crept long the side of a hill of stone. He came across hundreds of bodies of Metal Head Scorpions, their gems scattered or missing.

_He must have been ambushed the moment he came through. _

A dying squeal from ahead of him put Harry into a run. He came around the side to see Jak, standing in front of a conveyor, fire the second shot and send the wasp like Metal Head to the ground. A grunt roared angrily as it lunged with its arm spread wide at the elf. Harry, taking aim over Jak's shoulder, pulled the trigger without hesitation.

The bullet flew directly between Jak's neck and Daxter's arm before planting itself in the middle of the grunt's forehead. Jak snapped his hand to his neck, the heat to the energized bullet searing his skin. He whirled around to face Harry who wore a smirk holstering his gun. The last of the Metal Heads finished with the grunt now laying at the elf's feet.

Daxter hissed. "Watch it! You could have hit me!"

"eh," Harry responded with a shrug.

The rodent seethed at him muttering profanities under his breath.

"Shit... that was a bit too close for comfort, Harry." Jak commented kneading his neck with the palm of his hand. The darkened skin already beginning to smooth itself out.

Harry smirk and motioned out to the bodies of the Metal Heads. "What happened?"

"Metal heads! What else would happen on these missions!" Daxter growled out in annoyance, "I mean why not just one of these times we find something nice?"

"I was ambushed as soon as I came out." Jak interrupted, "There are a ton of them around here. We'd better keep our guns out and stay as quiet as possible." He pointed with two fingers towards a large building behind them on a higher level of the mine. "Central Hub is up there. I bet we'll find the poor bastard there... The only way up seems to be over there." He jerked his chin down a path in front of them lighted by sodium lamps.

"No doub-" Harry had begun when a flash of purple caught his eye over Jak's shoulder. "J-" Before he was able to form the warning, the entire area was filled with the sound of bursting Metal Heads and purple sparks.

_We stayed too long... _

It had been something they left unsaid, but both knew to do. Since the first time they had seen the Dark Eco surge toward Jak those years ago, they made a point of avoiding corpses. The times it had been unavoidable in Invisera had left Jak shuddering in pain and barely able to walk. That was nearly two years ago, before the thing he had inside of him ever manifested. The massive amount of Dark Eco that the Metal Heads left behind would, without a doubt, force him into another change.

As if in slow motion Jak turned to see the orbs come rushing toward him, his face twisting in surprise. Daxter cried out for him to move, but the Eco was already inches from his chest. He turned back to Harry, tossing out his hands to shove the human away from the Eco. He could absorb it, Harry could die from it. On pure reflex he took a fist full of Jak's shirt in his hand and pulled him forward. The blonde went to the ground behind him with a crack and Harry lurched to the side. The air he breathed suddenly on fire, his arms screaming with pain. He gasped for a clear breath as he hit the ground covering his head in an attempt to protect it.

"Harry?!" Jak yelled out, "You moron! What the hell were you thinking?!" He growled pushing him onto his back, eyes livid. "I would have been fine!"

Taking mouthfuls of clear air he ran his hands over his body. Nothing was burning anymore, nothing was melting, and nothing purple. Jak, too, was surprised to see Harry escape such a close encounter with Dark Eco unscathed. Green eyes darted up to him. "Are you and Daxter alright? How much did you take in?"

"I'm fine, Wolfie." Daxter confirmed jumping back to Jak's shoulder. His chin was red with blood where he had skid across the gravel. "Jak barely got half of it... the other just disappeared... Did you get it?" He cast his eyes over Harry uncertain.

He shook his head getting back to his feet. "No... I'd be dead if I did. I'm alright." He told Jak firmly, the livid look falling from his eyes to relief and gratitude.

"Thanks... that was a lot more than I think I would have been able to handle..." What was left unsaid rung in the air silently. _Before I lost control. _

It was then Harry noticed something in the air. The scent crawling up and slapping him in the face harshly.

"God... Never a dull moment with you two huh?" Daxter mumbled rubbing his chin with a wince. "Not that I'm not glad we've avoid another appearance from Tall, Dark, and Gruesome – but we have to get this guy, right... What the hell are you doing?"

The human, ignoring Daxter, raised his nose to the air and inhaled deeply. His eyes darted from side to side before he turned to face a new direction and sniffed the air experimentally. Jak tensed as he watched Harry, as if knowing what he was looking for.

"Dude... You wonder why I call you Wolfie." He trailed off.

Neither Harry or Jak responded to this as they made their way forward. They cleared the last of the large crates and came to the source. The ottsel on Jak's shoulder gasped in shock, clasping his hand over both his mouth and nose. Jak's eyes hardened as his jaw set firmly surveying the sight before them.

Two years ago the sight would have sickened Harry, he would have felt something about it, but now it was simple fact before him. He was almost amazed that neither of them smelt this far before they had gotten that close.

They had found the mine workers.

The bodies were piled carelessly on top of each other, fire having consumed most of them. The acrid scent of burning flesh and hair permeated the air so thickly they could taste it. The bodies that had escaped the pile were far from complete. The Metal Heads having ravaged them for meat. Those that still had faces held expressions of pure, adulterated fear.

"Precursors..." Swore Daxter under his breath suddenly shaking.

Harry knelt down beside a female worker laying on the flat of her back. Her arms and right leg had been ripped away leaving nothing but a disjointed bloodied bone. The teeth and claw marks said it all to the teen. "They didn't have a chance." Harry commented taking in the scene before him. "When Torn said attack, he meant it."

Neither had ever seen a Metal Head attack before. He had heard, from the Havenites in Invisera, that they were ruthless – but this looked like the work of raiders not creatures. They were, as Harry realized, far more intelligent than simple meat eating monsters he had thought them to be.

"Twenty of them did this, at least." Jak surmised staring down at a purple haired boy no older than himself. His torso ripped open and his insides gone.

"C-Can we go now?" Daxter stammered, "I mean this guy probably isn't even alive anymore! No use in killing ourselves over a dead man!" The rodent reasoned.

"No, let's keeping looking." Jak shook his head eyes traveling to the crane system beside the Central Hub. Once they reached the building, the massacre left behind them, Jak punched the doors release button before placing his hands over his chest.

Just as the door opened they were met with a flurry of bullets that caused Harry, Jak, and Daxter to lunge to the side.

"Arrrggggg! Stay back!" Yelled a high-pitch voice from inside, a steady stream of bullets flowing through the doorway.

"Do something Jak! This guy is crazy!" Daxter shouted over the sounds of gunfire. Harry glanced to Jak, teen gritting his teeth in frustration. Pressing himself as close to the edge of the door as he dared, he yelled in.

"Hey! Are you Vin? We're here to help! Torn sent us!"

"See I told you this wasn't a good – Yike!" Yelped Daxter when Harry's foot came down hard on the tip of his tail.

"Stay back!" The man warned.

"If we were here to kill you, you wouldn't be talking right now!" Growled out Jak angrily.

The shots abruptly stopped. Vin, as they were guessing, collapsed against the large containers he took refuge behind. "Oh... Friendlies? Oh thank god! W... So... Whe... where's the army?" He asked eyes searching for more than just what he saw before him.

"Uh, we're it." Daxter said with a smirk tugging at his lips.

The man's face twisted in outrage, the dramatic despair. "What?! Just you three!" He tapped the Eco-pistol against his temple in confusion. "What do they think I'm worth?"

"I'm starting to wonder that myself..." Jak muttered irately, "Look... You can stay here and be 'Metal meat, but Harry, Dax and I are leaving before those creatures get back."

The twitching man slipped out of the control room and followed obediently behind Jak toward the Warp Gate. Without looking back he slipped through the gate easily. Harry, behind the engineer, rolled his eyes at the ridiculous James Bond impression the man did only to end up tripping and falling through the Warp Gate.

"For Christs' sake..." Harry grumbled following after.

In a flash of blue, the light sting, and a fraction of a second Harry's feet touched down on steel. The second time around he was relieved to not be blinded. As soon as the man had come through the gate he had gone straight to the power downed panels. The station, inactive and less than grand, suddenly burst to life as his hands flew over the consoles and touch screens.

The wire began to hum and crackle with blue energy that soared toward the large cylinders. They hummed to the life, flaring out rings of staticenergy. The rings crawled up the whirring cylinders in a powerful burst toward the lifeless clear sphere. The golden ring ignited with Blue Eco and surged into the sphere. It sprung up, as if suddenly alive, and hovered in the middle of the circle crackling and tossing violently with the energy.

In the bright light of the now thriving station Harry was able to get a good look at the Underground informant. He was older, late forties at least. His hair, partially hidden behind a pilot cap simpler to Daxter's in design, but blue in color, was tightly curled and stark white. His shirt was stained with both dirt and blood. Large red stains working their way up the legs of his blue overalls. His eyes were covered by goggles so thick he wondered how he was able to see out of them.

"Hey... I want to thank you guys for saving my but back there at the Strip Mine." He told them never taking his eyes off the numerous screens in front of him.

"And we'd like to thank _you_ for being such a bad shot." Daxter retorted sarcastically.

"Ah, yeah... sorry about that guys. I'm a bit jumpy these days." He apologized, his shoulders practically twitching with his words as he jumped from console to console and back again. Harry was getting dizzy just watching him.

"Really? We hadn't notice..." Daxter told him earnestly while checking for dirt under his nails. With a nonchalant glance upward, behind Vin, his face fell in terror. He swung his hand out screaming at the top of his lungs. "AHHHH! Metal Head behind you!"

The wite haired engineer let out a horrified screaming whirling around. "Ahh! Whatha! Whotha, wha... Whooo... Ohh..." he fell against the panel clenching at the fabric of his shirt. The real look of sheer horror on his face enough to take away how comical the scene really was.

"Just kidding," Daxter admitted as he walked back towards Jak, "nice reaction time though."

"Not funny!" Vin snarled leaping back to his feet.

Harry frowned to Daxter, unimpressed, while Jak pretended to take interest in a large screen beside him. He turned to Harry and Jak suddenly, mouth twisting as if he was considering to ask the question or not.

"Did... You find anyone else? My whole team was down there when they attacked us..."

Daxter winced and Jak refused to look up from the screen. Vin looked to Harry waiting desperately for the answer. Harry hesitated as studied the anxiety ridden man. How was he suppose to tell a man that his entire team, probably close friends, were nothing more than a pile of rotted bodies and burned bones?

"They're all dead."

Bluntly of course.

A long silence followed those words, Vin turning back to the computers with a heavy sigh. "Those Metal Heads have been attacking our mining operations for awhile now. We're running out of Eco... Eco power keeps the Shield Walls up and if the Shield drops... We're done for." He finished grimly.

"We've got a few surprises for the Metal Heads." Jak stated with a smirk.

Vin shook his head as he tapped one of the screens. "You've got to keep those walls up until the Shadow figures out what to do. I noticed a drop in Eco flow at the Drill Platform... probably some Metal Heads eggs suckin' away power." he pointed to the gate wearily, "I have set the 'Gate to take you to the Drill Platform. Once on the platform destroy every Metal Head egg you find."


	18. Burned

**Faithless: **Oh god... I just FINALLY got my new computer. God it's been a hell of a time…

VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE ORGINAL CHAPTER…

**

* * *

**

Semi-Automatic

Part Two: Losing It

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: **_Burned _

"Stop picking at it… You're going to make me sick!" Daxter hissed squinting darkly at Harry from Jak's lap. His eyes darted down to Harry's left forearm face twisting in disgust, and made an equally disgusted sound before retreating to the back seat of the green F.S zoomer. Harry, unable to stop smirking, continued to twist the frayed fabric around his gloved finder. The smell, he had to admit, was horrible. The unpleasantly strong stinging scent of burned skin, fabric, and traces of rubber. It was an unfortunate souvenir from the Drill Platform. A heat release vent that cooled the inner works of the drill had caught him across the arm. Jak, having miscalculated his jump, forced Harry to leap head long into a fire. His saving grace being the fact the lining of the vent was made of a non-conductive material. The burn had been, then minutes ago, so severe that Harry had been able to see down to the white of his bone through charcoal skin. It was, to Harry's relief, healing faster than any wound he had ever had. Within the first ten seconds skin started to regenerate, covering the exposed and scorched bone. He barely felt it after twenty. He had spent most of the ride back picking at it.

It itched like hell.

"Least it is healing fast…" Jak trailed off taking his eyes off the road briefly, a trace of guilt crossing his face.

"Wonder if they'll notice the smell," Harry mused, "I can always just explain you're an idiot who can't count."

The elf scowled half heartedly, but seemed to relax with the joking tone Harry held.

"Where to now?" Daxter asked slumping lazily across Jak's shoulder armor hand still pressed over his nose causing Harry to roll his eyes. "Do we have to go and tell Torn that we got the informant out?"

He got a shrug from Harry and a nod from Jak. None of them truly wanted to go to the Hip Hog at this time of night. The bar may have been a ghost town in the day, but it was swamped at night. Half of the patrons at night tended off-shift Krimzon Guard. Frankly, Harry didn't want to have to endure the obese bar owner's smell more than he needed to. With a easy one-eighty turn, Jak headed towards the plaza.

Once inside the base the wizard was glad to see that only Torn stood in the harsh light of the swinging gambler light.

"We got Vin out safely, got any missions for us?" Jak asked stepped into the light, Daxter leaning forward trying to read what the taller man was writing down. Preferring to ignore the light haired young man, Torn continued to scribble down notes on the paper. Frustration and slight annoyance crawled over Jak's face momentarily, but he merely crossed his arms and waited it out begrudgingly. After nearly several minutes of silence, the Commander finally answered.

"Yes, actually," Torn motioned Harry closer to the table while Daxter leapt to stand beside the large map sprawled over the surface littered with books and paper. "One of my old Guard comrades was sent to the Pumping Station. There's been no word from the patrol, and after what you two found out there, I'm afraid that she many need help."

_Another bone yard… _Harry thought scanning the map.

"Did you say 'she?'" Jak asked raising his eyebrows slightly.

"Don't even think about it," Torn growled, swinging his eyes to the left taking notice of the faces that Daxter had been making in the swing of the light. "_Stop that! This is serious, you moron!" _He yelled shinning the light on the rodent. Jak made a move to back hand Daxter, but the ottsel went into a karate pose.

"Whhhhaaa! That's right! Don't mess with the sugar!" He smirked when Jak dropped his hand with a roll of his eyes.

While Daxter grinned impishly and stuck his tongue out at Jak, Harry grabbed his tail and pulled. He let out a surprised yelp as he met the floor, taking a few papers with him. He may have been Jak's best friend, but Harry could care less about the damn thing. Daxter climbed back onto the table holding his tail protectively with one hand and muttering about short fused short-eared people.

"This 'friend' of mine has helped the Underground many times before," Torn went on, "go back to the Pumping Station and take a look around. Render assistance if needed."

Daxter saluted Torn with a stupid grin.

"Now get your squirrelly ass out of here." He shoved Daxter, once again, off the table. This time, however, Dax took everything on the table off it. The absolute fury that crawled over Torn's normally stoic face silently told the pair they needed to get gone.

_

* * *

_

- Semi Automatic -

Outside the walls of Haven City, along the sandbar of the Pumping Station, half a dozen Metal Heads combed the beaches religiously looking for the one red armored elf that had eluded them. They had killed and ravaged any living thing that happened across their path. Crunching the red metal under foot and claw easily. The thick steel doing nothing against their bone metal laced claws. The largest of the Metal Heads, the most humanoid, cast low grunts to the creatures that flanked it. They listened to its orders and shrank back to the bridges to look to find the elusive she-elf that had barely escaped the initial raid. The orders were clear and always the same: kill everything. Yet, their leader had wanted the she-elf captured alive and brought to him. The reasons were beyond it, but it was never its place to know or question.

It raised its head sharply as the hiss of the airlock opened on the sandbar below it. The creature watched uninterested as the Grunts and Crabs rushed towards the sound without so much of a thought. It was hidden on a ledge overlooking the sandbar that lead to the exit of the station. The creature didn't have to see the two incoming prey, it could feel them. It was _them, _the Dark One and the Outlander. Running its forked tongue over jagged teeth the Metal Head raised its gun arm and forced itself to blend seamlessly with the foliage around it. The cloaker cracked with Blue Eco lightly, but kept the creature completely hidden.

Each and every Metal Head wanted the Outlander. Something about his blood drove them in horde. They were creatures of Eco; the absence of Eco in the Outlander could be felt a mile away. Like a hole in the very fabric of what was. The intoxicating, exotic, taste of Eco-less blood pulled them like dogs to a bone.

The first shots were fired on the grunts that remained on the sandbar. The two advanced on them without hesitation or fear. They were so unlike the armored men, so unlike any of the elves the creature had come across. They didn't fire like the others; there was viciousness in the way they attacked that seemed more like animals, which seemed more like them – not like the elves that they masqueraded around as. No, it could tell that these two were far from the long-eared mules that hideaway behind the steel walls.

The leader wanted the Dark One; every other Metal Head wanted the Outlander.

Yet, the Outlander seemed different. The feel that of something much darker than before… Far more dangerous. Silently it waited for the Outlander to turn his back. That was when it would strike. It watched as the Outlander turned his gun to another one of the grunts, blasting its skull wide open with a Red Eco weapon. The creature, growling lowly, leapt without a sound. Its legs had barely hit the ground as it swung its massive clawed hand at the Outlander's back. He let out a cry of pure agony as he went to his knees, dropping the gun. The Metal Head lurched forward pinning the Outlander on his stomach. Leaning toward the large gashes on his back, it sniffed the wounds and blood. It recoiled instantly with disbelief and surprise.

The simple second hesitation allowed the Outlander to twist around, place the weapon to its unarmored chest, and pull the trigger.

_

* * *

_

- Semi-Automatic -

With a grunt Harry heaved the massive creature off his chest. Pushing himself to his feet he took in the sheer size of the thing that taken him by surprise. The Metal Head was one of the largest he had seen opposed to a Metal Rider. It was also one of the most human looking he'd come across. It easily cleared eight feet and its clawed hands were the size of his head. He muttered curses under his breath while the wounds on his back healed over almost instantly. It sent waves of pain through his spine and lower back. Placing a constricting hand to his shoulder he called out.

"Jak? You alright?" His eyes ticked to the last spot he had seen the blonde.

"Yeah… Just fine!" Came a call from his right side. Harry, turning to face a large pile of Metal Crab bodies, was surprised to see that a cluster of them were still moving. One body rolled off the top and Jak came crawling from underneath. Daxter was clinging to his shoulder looking traumatized and covered in green slime.

"What happened to him?" Harry asked curiously.

The ex-channeler threw him a lopsided smirk. "Took a trip down the throat of a Metal Head."

The look of surprise was clear on Harry's face before it broke out into a dark grin. "I see… Coughed you back up did he?"

"I wish…" Jak snorted wiping some of the green slime off his blue tunic.

The ottsel, shivering from head to toe, muttered. "Next time we go near a Metal Crab n- Remind me to stay on _his _shoulder." He pointed to Harry.

The teen snorted a laugh. "I'm a beacon for those bastards, but hey," he said turning toward the pumps, "S'your life."

_

* * *

_

- Semi-Automatic -

The station was infested with more Metal Heads than Jak had personally ever seen in one place before. Neither of them was able to take a step without coming head long into a group or stumbling over a single one scouting the connected bridges and smaller islands that made up the Pumping Station. They had to resort to hand-to-hand combat as the gun fire drew the unwanted attention of the very few Metal Heads they had happened not to attract with the initial fight on the sandbar. It wasn't, however, the Metal Heads that bothered Jak the most. It wasn't the fact Daxter was on the verge of hysterics or the armored bodies that littered the water…

It was the sixteen year old standing in front of him.

Raising his eyes from the corpse of a K.G Jak had found himself staring at Harry standing over a gasping Metal Head. He stared down with a twisted grin as the creature, squealing and trying to crawl away, cried out as he fired twin shots to its legs. His face twisted with a look of pure loathing and twisted satisfaction in watching the sheer misery of the creature. Daxter was about to speak, but Jak raised his hand to silence him. He wanted to know what Harry would do.

Several long moments the creature cried and whined in pain before Harry backed away holstering his gun. He was going to leave the Metal Head to die a slow painful death. With a sneer Harry turned towards them.

Their eyes met briefly, the smirk dropping from his face. He glanced back down to the Metal Head as if embarrassed before swinging around to take a large bridge into the upper levels of the station.

"What was that about?" Daxter muttered under his breath.

Jak just shook his head as he followed the human, firing a single shot at the Skull Gem of the creature. It shattered on impact and promptly ended the thing.

When he had met the only existing human in Precursia, Harry had been inexperienced with fighting, with surviving in the environment that they were forced into. He was thin and half blind. Others had often commented that Harry wasn't solider material. He wasn't strong enough. Physically he lacked everything required. Yet, he had always had what Jak didn't.

He had grown up on an island; an out of the way fishermen's village where the worst thing had been rowdy Lurkers before the Sages. In his time you could walk up to a stranger and they would simply smile back and help you. Of course greasing their palms with a few orbs got them talking faster and more in depth, but they wouldn't turn you away if you had nothing. There were no guns, no cities with steel walls, any lies or war. Death was of old age… Not at the receiving end of bullet, trapped in a cell, or a Metal Head.

Island life, fighting Lurkers and training with Samos, had left him with physical strength to withstand Invisera, but the quiet simplicity of Sandover had left him ill prepared for the mental strain that it had all be, to understand and comprehend how cruel this world was. The slap in the face had been one that sent Jak stumbling back unable to believe that another person could do the things he had witnessed over the last two years. He had, somewhere along the line, lost his faith in people. The bitter realization had been hard to take in the first few months.

Harry had never lost that faith because he had never had it. Even if he allowed Jak to help him, it had taken the elf nearly a month for Harry to openly trust him. His life, whatever it had been, had already taught him that life lesson.

He was never a cruel fighter; he killed quick and moved on. He never entertained himself with the pain of a K.G or Metal Head before. Harry was the one who always held the disappointed look on his face when Jak went out of his way to clip a guard, giving himself the excuse to take out as many as he could. He wasn't at home killing like Jak. He never had been.

He found himself wondering if that was true anymore.

_Things change. _

"Gah!" Daxter shouted in frustration grabbing the fur that escaped his pilot hat, "What are we doing out here saving some old Krimzon Guard hag?!" He leapt, with force, off Jak's shoulder to the sand scratching his ear like a croca-dog would. "She's probably got more facial hair than me!" He grumbled.

Harry nodded in agreement as Jak placed both hands on his hips. He had to admit he didn't like it either, but they had very little choice. And he didn't like that either. Pushing aside tangled branches Harry uncovered a red Krimzon Guard Cruiser. He inspected it for a moment before running a hand over the hood. "Cold... Been down some time." He trailed off eyes scanning the trees briefly.

Just as he opened his mouth to suggest that they head back, arms snapped around his neck and legs around his waist - tightly. His breath hitched for a moment before the barrel of a pistol was shoved into his lower jaw. Immediately Jak put his hands up in the air in the universal sign of surrender. He was at a severe disadvantage, too severe for him to take the chance of being shot in the mouth on a dumb move.

Daxter, who was standing between Harry and himself, stared at the person on his back with disbelief.

_... Has to be a woman. _Jak thought unable to turn and confirm.

A red scope laser had already snapped to her forehead, Harry's eyes firmly on the solider currently attempting to strangle him. "I dare you."

"Who the hell are you?" She snapped demanding, pressing the pistol deeper into his chin. The only thing that kept Jak from tossing the woman from his back was the simple fact 'she' had been the only description of the K.G Torn had given them... Though, it was slowly slipping as her arm tightly around his neck, threatening to crush his windpipe.

"Then again, I do love a woman in uniform!" He contradicted, eying her intently, "Wanna back some orders at me? I'm your solider on the front lines of looove." He grinned, "Waiter - foxhole for two!"

Jak doubted that she had even noticed Daxter until he had spoken. Her attention was draw, like most they came across, with disbelief that he had just spoken or that he had just hit on her. Harry flashed his eyes to Daxter with a look the clearly screamed if he was serious. Shoving Jak forward, she pointed her pistol at Daxter.

Daxter gulped. "Or… Not, heh…" He laughed nervously, backing away behind Harry who never dropped his target.

"Keep talking and I'll raise your voice a couple of octaves." She warned.

"Whoa," Jak interrupted putting himself between Harry and the woman, "calm down. Torn sent us to help you."

She cast her eyes back behind them the same moment that Jak heard the cracking of branches. "I don't need help, but you might. We've got company."

"Left and right?" Jak asked Harry taking up his gun.

"Left and right."

"Oh Precursors not again…" Muttered Daxter.

_

* * *

_

- Semi-Automatic -

Crabs, Shockers, and even some Grunt came at them from every conceivable angle. The woman, showing her K.G training, moved swiftly into the ranks of Metal Heads. Her shots never missed and she danced out of the way of the Metal Heads before they could touch her. Harry fired as rapidly as Jak did. Ammo soon ran out, but the Metal Heads didn't. They had him surrounded in a matter of seconds, pushing him backwards. Harry knew fighting bare handed wouldn't work if they all jumped at the same time.

Harry realized what the Metal Heads were doing.

They were pushing him towards the side of the cliff.

The bottom was littered with bodies and a slamming ocean current that would drag his body across the rocks. If he survived that, the security on the water would kill him. Pain burst from his side as the breath left his chest. For a moment he was weightless, the next he was falling.

_

* * *

_

- Semi-Automatic -

"Jak! I think Wolfie needs help!" Daxter shouted over the gun fire pointing madly toward the edge of the platform. Jak, unable to look as he landed a fist into the side of a Metal Head's jaw, shouted back.

"He'll be fine, Da-"

"I don't think so, Jak." The alarm in Daxter's voice wasn't something new. Focusing on the Metal Head in front of him he knew Harry could handle himself against them even bare handed. Jak barely had time to raise his gun before a Metal Head snapped its jaws around the ammo-less weapon. He pushed it forward with a kick to the stomach, swinging his arm wide to slam the butt of the gun into another.

"Ja-" Daxter tried again.

"Not now Daxter!" He growled out.

Suddenly pain burst from the side of his head as Daxter nearly pulled his hair. The ottsel growled with slight anger in his eyes. "How about _now?!_"

Jak eyes rose up across the field the moment a Metal Head had lunged at the black haired human. Time slowed as Harry's back arched and he was sent over the edge with a snarling Metal Head beating his chest. It took seconds for Harry to disappear below the line.

"Harry!" He went forward, but the Metal Heads forced him back. He growled dangerously, but the creatures advanced swiping their claws and snapping teeth at them. The moment his back hit the wall Jak realized that both he and the woman were trapped.

"Some rescue," the woman breathed also pressed against the rock face, her eyes locked on the Metal Heads above them.

"_Jak…_" Daxter whispered fearfully, _"What the hell are we going to do?" _

Jak remained silent.

"Jak?" He pleaded.

* * *

- Semi-Automatic -

The K.G had been in hopeless situations before, but she had to admit this was one of the worst she had ever come across. Leading the platoon of nearly sixty men into Haven City's Pumping Station, she had never imagined that the Metal Head infestation had been this severe or that their ranks would be reduced to her in merely minutes.

Standing, back pressed against a cliff with a boy and his pet, she could see that they would need a miracle to survive this. The Underground operative remained silent to his pet's pleading, asking what they were going to do.

There wasn't anything they could do. The Metal Heads that surrounded them bordered on nearly a hundred, each with a set of teeth and claws ready to tear them a part. Just as the first Metal Head lurched, she prepared herself. If she was going to die today, she was going to take as many as she could with her.

But the attack never came.

Standing in front of her, dripping wet and in shredded clothing, stood the other Underground member. The Metal Head lying dead as his feet with its face shredded with five long gashes that went straight through the bone metal armor.

"Harry?" Breathed the rodent with relief, but the blue eyes of the boy were wide with disbelief and mild horror. The rodent soon followed, knuckles turning white as he stared at the boy in front of her.

The Metal Heads started to back away, snarling. The young man in front of her, with his back to her, seemed different. She could have sworn that his hair had been black, but the one standing in front of her had hair and skin of corpse. It was as she cast her eyes down did she noticed that his hands had five long and clear claws.

He, with a growl of a beast, lunged forward into the Metal Head line. Purple sparks struck out from his form killing any Metal Head that he didn't get with claws. He tore at them, biting, and ripping them apart limb by limb. He practically flew through their ranks, destroying anything it came across.

"Move!" Shouted the young man, clenching her arm in a bruising grip pulling her to his chest. The spot where she had been standing now had a Metal Head lodged deeply inside the rock, the man wrenching it free. At that moment she saw the face that had put so much alarm on the faces of the other two.

Feral amber eyes stared at her from the centre of black pits. Pale lips curled over jagged teeth as it advanced on them. Jak, as the ottsel had called him, pulled her behind his back – the rodent hissing.

"Get back – move! Get out of the way!" He urged her, pulling at the material of her boot.

Jak took a step forward towards the thing. "Harry… It's me… It's Jak."

The creature growled at him, raising his hand suddenly to his side. The six Metal Heads that came at them vaulting backward hundreds of feet. The creature's demonic eyes never left Jak as it advanced a step, then struck. Its powerful strike sent the blonde into the rock, his face bleeding heavily. He pushed himself back to his feet using the rock as support. His left eye was closed, the gashes having shredded the entire left portion of his face. The creature moved forward again, taking his shirt in a fist and driving its claws into his shoulder. He cried out, but shoved his hand into the creatures face jerking the chin backward. He let go and then sliced at his chest. Jak barely made it out of the way, moving in front of her and the rodent.

"Harry…" Jak warned, but the demon paid very little attention to him. Bringing its hands together and pulling them a part. Between both his palms the creature held a small violent orb of concentrated Dark Eco. Small surges leapt from his finger tips into the ball, the size only increasing. Jak, with a breath, whirled around jumped at her. She let out a gasp as he took all three of them to the ground as the demon slammed its hands together.


	19. Dirty Fighter

**Faithless: **Could it be another update?!?!

Yes it can, little voice in my head. Yes. It. Can.

**

* * *

**

Semi-Automatic

Part Two: Losing It

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: **_Dirty Fighter_

Fear can paralyze the body. It can steal your common sense and leave you without the ability to comprehend. Your blood turns to ice in your veins and you find yourself unable to breathe. It was fear that ran rampant through the woman who lay half conscious beside the taller blonde man and the collapsed _thing _that had attacked them. The world around her had lost proper sense as she sat up, her ears deafened and eyes half blind. Her hands deftly searched her body for the source of warmth that she slick against her exposed thighs. It was warm, it was wet, and it had to obviously be coming from her. No one could bleed that much and survive. Some had to, logically, be hers.

She considered herself a rational woman, one that never jumped to conclusions or irrational assumptions. The prospect of a demon like creature having just appeared in front of her, saving them from the Metal Heads and then turning on them was far beyond her range of understanding.

But the evidence was lying in a crumpled heap in front of her.

The once foliage and Metal Head ridden platform was nothing more than a grey slab of rock. The trees, cracked and laying horizontal, were as scorched as the rock. The black haired man lay in a swallow dip of cracked rock. It looked as if someone had dropped a bomb and that bomb had eradicated everything. She believed that it could have taken all of Haven City with it.

Her mind, slowly coming back its senses, turned back to the young man that shielded her from... whatever it had been. Looking to her side, she found where he had fallen. The orange talking creature was desperately shaking the teen's shoulder. His small form was littered with tiny lacerations and patches of his fur were missing - burned away like the leaves of the trees. The blonde Underground operative was unconscious. He had probably passed out from the blood loss... _God there was so much of it. _

The woman pushed herself, dizzyingly, onto her knees with effort. She gracelessly slipped in the pooling blood that had soaked into her uniform. As she tried to move, she realized that her arms were constricted at her shoulders. Prying off what little armor she wore she, as it was dented and useless, tossed it aside. Armor could be replaced, she was only glad that bones had survived the assault.

Warily she cast her eyes to the black haired man that lay in the hallow. He was, if all fared well, just as dead as the trees. Turning back to the blonde she paused the moment she noticed the rodent was looking at her oddly. His eyes considered her intently as if trying to decide something about her. She didn't react, for a moment she didn't know how to. What had conspired only moments ago had left her dazed and unwontedly confused beyond a shadow of a doubt. At the moment, be it from the force of the concussive wave or not, she couldn't tell what was real.

Casting his eyes back to the teenager he whispered desperately. "Come on Jak..."

The name sparked recognition in the woman, but she failed to make the connection. "I can help him," she told the ottsel.

Turning his head skeptically towards her, blue eyes narrowing with serious doubt, He motioned out silently giving her permission. His eyes traveled from the blonde to the dark haired one briefly before skating back to the one named Jak.

With that she moved closer to the boy to fully assess the extent of his injuries. Looking at his hands, she noticed his nails were bent back and in most cases completely torn off. She reached for his unarmored shoulder to roll him forward, she immediately wish she hadn't. The Eco waved had lashed his back with devastating results. The deep long lacerations that covered his back bled freely and looked as if the demon itself had attack him. They were crossed over old scars, some looking years old. As she processed the damage, she began wondering if her Stim Pack would be enough to do anything for the teen.

Reaching down to her belt numbly she pulled the Stim Pack free. It was a simple adrenaline needle laced with Green Eco and several other acceleration chemicals. It was meant for minor wounds or a broken bone.

Definitely not this.

Rolling him back to his side, she placed the tip of the injector to his jugular and pulled the release. At the same moment that she pulled the trigger, his eyes burst open. He inhaled deeply only to end in a coughing fit. He sat up so quickly that woman jerked back in surprise dropping the injector to the ground.

"How..." she started, but wisely stopped herself.

"Don't do that, Jak!" the rodent yelled furiously relieved, "I thought you were dead!"

Jak, breathing hard, placed a bloody hand to his neck feeling around the injection site. He looked to the woman accusingly, a snarl twisting his lips over his teeth as she went to grab the injector. The woman, able to stare down a Metal Head, found herself floundering under the intense blue of the teenager. His gaze was lifeless, dark, and intense. So intense that she felt her hand start to shake, feeling as if the young man in front her could kill her on a whim.

"Calm down - Just a Stim Pack. You're alright, buddy, just Green Eco." The rodent told him quickly, his tone suggesting he was trying to calm down a rapid croca-dog.

The tanned boy's eyes didn't leave him for a couple of moments as if he was trying to understand what he just been told. His glacial blue eyes flashed back to the woman who packed away the half empty vial. She dared to look towards him again, plastering the best stoic look she could bring herself to give. She had never seen eyes to feral, so cold... so emotionless at the time. It made another shiver run up her spine, but she repressed a shudder. She had never been so scared, and intimidated, by a mere look... Especially by someone barely older than twenty.

The orange creature glanced between them anxiously.

"Are..." rasped Jak suddenly pushing himself to knees and struggling to his feet, "You al-alright Daxter?" He finished breathlessly.

Daxter, as he called him, spread his arms wide inspecting his small, furry form. "Two arms," he shook them, "two feet and a tail?" he grasped at the limp and looked back to Jak, "Yeah. Great job at playing the living shield."

Jak grunted in response. The woman looked over the young man to see if the medicine had worked. It hadn't. All it had done was wake him up, but nothing had improved. His face, still shredded on one side, no longer bled but the wound was angry. The only thing that had corrected itself had been his nails. They had grown back or re-attached themselves back to his fingers.

"But Harry..." Daxter suddenly trailed off flattening his ears to his skull. His eyes traveled to the pit where the dark haired man was laying on his back.

Jak's eyes widened a fraction of an inch, extreme concern crossing his face. It was like he had forgotten where the wave had originated from or where he had lost half his face to.

_He nearly kills you, disfigures you, and you're worried about him? _

He turned his intense gaze back on her with an unimpressed frown. She couldn't read his face and that made her far more uncomfortable than she would ever admit. To comprise some of her dignity, she got to her feet. The thick blood dripped from her hands and knees as she did so. The woman cringed knowing that this was going to bring forth more than one question back at the Fortress.

"Are you alright?" He eventually asked eying the blood the covered her form. Daxter, silently, snaked his way up the young man's body to rest on the shoulder plate.

Other than a headache, she was amazingly fine. "Yes," she told him, "it isn't my blood."

The look on his face suggested that he wanted to get this done fast. He had come here on Torn's order and done what he was asked of - protecting her. She turned abruptly toward her Hellcat to find that it, miraculously, survived the backlash. Nimbly jumping onto the seat, she cast her eyes back over her shoulder. "Tell Torn that Baron Praxis is planning something big. I think it has something to with that symbol." She hitched her thumb over her shoulder towards a rock with a bronze symbol pressed into it.

"What is it?" Jak asked raising his voice to be heard over the engine.

The woman paused visibly as she slid into the curved seat of the Hellcat. Who didn't know what that symbol was? You were taught about the House of Mar through every year of school. You had to have lived under a rock to not know of Mar and his seal.

"I'm not exactly from around here..." He told her with a sharp edge.

The woman ignored the edge as she leaned forward to activate the A-Grav engines. "It's the seal of the House of Mar, the Founder of Haven City. We're being sent on 'suicide missions' to recover artifacts from the time of his rule."

Her hands, at home with the controls, skillfully ran over the buttons and switches. "If curiosity is worth dying for... You can ask the blind Soothsayer in the Bazaar named Onin. She might know something about all this. Here is my Bazaar access pass." She reached into the console, taking the pass in hand, and tossed it to the blonde.

He flicked open the top with his thumb and quickly scanned it before slipping it into the pouch that hung off his side. "This'll help, Ashelin."

She nodded without looking at him as the machine took off the ground. "We're even now."

Jak spun around to Harry. His one eye, still unable to open, stung as painfully as his back did. He stumbled toward the dark haired human, the image of the pale thing that had attacked him flashing before his eyes. Never, in his wildest imagination, had he thought Harry had the ability to transform.

Harry's arms were spread haphazard at his sides, his left leg twisted in an unnatural angle. His form was a mess of cuts, bit marks, and bloody holes. It looked as if he had been swept across a rock bed. His clothes, soaking wet, were covered in blood just as Jak imagined himself to be.

"Damn..." Muttered Daxter as Jak rolled Harry to his back. He didn't wake up, he was barely breathing, and he wasn't healing. To make matters worse, Jak was depleted of Eco and running on the bottom of the barrel. Green Eco was enough to vault him awake, but it was going to hours (if not days) to fully recover. He now faced the problem of walking into the Underground looking like a Metal Head chew toy with an unconscious Harry.

This just wasn't his day.

Getting back to his feet Jak prepared himself to haul the thin human to his side. In a sudden wave, his world tilted drastically to the right. He gripped the side of his head with a shout and felt his knees buckled underneath him.

"Jak!" Daxter cried in surprise, "Jak - are you alright?! I think you should rest - You're going to pass out!"

The Invisrin shook his head vigorously. "I'll be fine Daxter," he wiped the blood that trailed down from the corner of his mouth away, "we need to get Harry out of here before the Metal Heads come back for a repeat performance."

With that, he hauled Harry up and proceeded to carry the unconscious young man back through the Pumping Station with a grim look. Daxter didn't move from his spot right away. His eyes narrowed on Jak's battered form as he whispered slightly defeated.

"You're not... When are you going to realize that?"

* * *

- _Semi-Automatic - _

He had been falling, a Metal Head beating relentless at his chest, towards the ocean below them. They hit with a deafening splash, the Metal Head suddenly gone. The current had swept him up within seconds, dragging his body against the rocks like a rag doll. His lungs were flooded as he could hear his bones crunch on the black rock. He rolled, tumbled, and clawed for traction as the water swept him further and further from the shoreline. The waves pulled at his legs, demanding he let go of the sparing rock he had gripped tightly. His chest burned, his entire body burned.

A strong wave crashed down on him, his head smacking cleanly across a jagged rock. Dazed, Harry felt the world grow cold.

He remembered being angry. He remembered hating something and he remembered straining to control unbridled fury.

And now it was white, too white.

For a moment Harry thought he was dead, but it took several moments for him to realize he was staring a pin-holed white ceiling. He didn't quite understand why he was staring at it, but he knew that it was the only thing he could do. The pain had settled and pricked at his every movement. His back, which he was sure was broken, was numb except for a string of bite like sensations that roared up his spine when he tried to move. His arms, as if they were full of sand, hung loosely placed at his sides.

He was cold.

Why was he cold?

Turning his eyes down pale, sickly skin was staring back at him. It rose briefly before falling down. Well, at least he was breathing. Then a far more important question came to mind.

Why was he naked?

Stifling a groan, Harry moved his thumb against his thigh to find, to mild relief; he was wearing _short _and _tight_ briefs. If he could understand why he should be angry, he would have been pissed.

"Welcome back to the land of living." A female voice said directly beside him. His eyes snapped to her instantly, all clarity jumping back, and momentary panic set in.

Where the _hell _was he?

The woman must have seen the panic in his eyes as she immediately leaned closer to him. "Don't worry, Harry, you're on the medical floor of the Underground. We were a bit worried you wouldn't pull through, but at least you're awake now."

Merlin, he didn't want to be.

He felt the oncoming headache while he tried to remember what exactly happened after he had fallen from the cliff. Nothing came back, nothing at all. The woman stood straight, correcting a machine above his head, and suddenly said.

"I'll go tell Jak that you're awake - He's been pacing a hole in my floor for the past three hours." She ended on a light joke, but Harry couldn't find the hilarity in it. At the moment he, however, wasn't above begging her to give him some clothes. He would have reached up to her, but his hand only twitched and his voice only came out in a crackle. She disappeared from his line of sight and he let out a frustrated groan, sounding more pathetic than angry.

From what he could make out of the medical floor... It was slapped together and smelled thickly of cleaners. He could faintly hear voices beyond the green thread bare curtain that enclosed him on both sides.

Against the pain he pushed his hand to his face, the numb limb deftly running over a plastic covering over his mouth... He now understood what the hissing machine beside him was doing.

_I can't breathe on my own? Why? What the hell happened?! Why aren't I healing?_

Unable to hold back the growing panic, he heard the heart monitor spike and his breathing became quick and swallow. The woman rushed forward calling out to him placing both hands on his chest in attempt to calm him.

It didn't.

Forgetting the pain, he lashed out at her. He needed to take his frustration out on something; he needed to release it before it swallowed him. She jumped back, hands rising in the air, and he narrowly missed her. He ripped the breathing mask off, furious, scowling at the woman darkly and, like a child, started taking it out on something closest to him. His pillow. He ripped the thing to shreds, tearing the insides out, and feeling all the better for it. Triumphantly he tossed the ripped sack, the feathers spewed across the bed and floor, at her feet. He flicked his eyes up as if to silently say.

_That could have been you. _

"Harry!" A sharp bark came from in front of him.

He immediately came down from his high. Twisting, almost innocently scared, toward the voice he found himself staring at Jak. His face wasn't livid, frankly it looked just as worried and scared as he felt. It was a fleeting before he set eyes on the terrified woman. "... Can you give us a moment?"

"... No problem," she stammered picking her away through the mess and snapping the curtain shut.

With a heavy sigh, Jak carried his battered form over to a chair beside the bed. Harry, taking in the damage done to the elf, wondered why he wasn't healing himself. His shirt, gone like Harry's clothes, exposed very little as his chest was completely wrapped up in white bandages. The left portion of his face was covered in smaller cuts that looked as if he had lost a fight with an alley cat. The bruises, however, looked as if he had decided to go a few rounds with his own personal demon.

The human attempted to ask what happened, but all that came out was a croak.

"... Do you remember what happened at the station?"

Harry violently shook his head, but as he slowly became more and more coherent... He had a feeling he didn't want to. Swallowing thickly he tried again to speak, but failed miserably. He motioned to Jak weakly, hoping that conveyed the message well enough. He didn't know how well Jak was at understanding vague sign language.

"I'm alright..." Jak mumbled relieved and concerned at the same time.

Then again, Daxter had mentioned Jak used to be mute.

Reaching up slowly Harry tapped the left side of his face while Jak smirked faintly, slipping more into the chair, his chin coming to his chest. "Metal Heads ganged up on me."

Jak had this thing when he was lying. It was barely noticeable anymore, unless you were looking for it. It wasn't his eyes that gave him away; it wasn't his face or his body language. A simple slight crack in his voice and the way he rubbed his knee as if it was sore told Harry everything he needed. He forced down a sordid smirk, one thing that had never changed.

"Y..." he breathed, "you're lying."

Jak's eyes flicked to him, a skeptical look on his face. "Did you not see the Metal Heads? You say you don't remember anything."

"No, b-but yo... you are terrible liar." Harry deadpanned.

The elf didn't refute it. For a long time Jak didn't speak. He simply leaned forward on his knees interlocking his bruised fingers with a solemn, contemplating look. Harry, against the protest of his ribs, pushing himself into a sitting position while clenching the blanket around his waist to keep his modesty.

"Jak..." He demanded quietly.

"After you took the swan dive," Harry snorted at this, "off the side of the cliff - The K.G, Ashelin, and I were able to take out the rest of the Metal Heads. I fished you out of the water looking like a corpse and dragged you back here... That's what happened." He narrowed his eyes on Harry as the disbelieving look didn't fade.

Jak wasn't one to sugar coat it when a mission had gone horribly wrong and it was his fault. This one, without a doubt, was his fault. He had been stupid enough to get himself separated and forced over a cliff. That was definitely a move Jak would have chastised him for.

What was he hiding?

"Where is Daxter?" Harry suddenly noticed, the question coming out his mouth before he able to stop himself. He silently swore, he had just given Jak an out and he was just as much of an opportunist as Harry was. To cover up the defeated look he fell back onto his bed, palms pressed against his forehead. "Please tell me something ate him..."

The older teen gave a short, humorless laugh. "No. He is in the cafeteria flirting with some chest girl," Harry would have laughed at the motion Jak made, but it didn't seem like the time, "... So it's all gone then? You have no idea of what happened after you fell?"

_Keep prodding and I think I might..._ "No," he told him flatly, "you still haven't answered my question."

"Metal Heads." The renegade fell back on the same lie.

"Those marks are too thin to have been a Metal Head."

"It was a smaller grunt -" He said defensively.

"No," Harry growled angrily, "what the hell _was _i-" his jaw seemed to lock as his mind burst with painful images of Metal Heads crunching under his hands and, to his horror, his hand running straight through Jak's shoulder and batting him away like a doll. He paled, chest heaving slightly, and stared directly at him.

_Harry... It's me... It's Jak. _

"... Did I _attack you?_" Harry whispered aghast. His head was spinning.

Jak stood quickly, panic clear on his face, as he began spitting out excuses. "N-no! Calm down - It wasn't your fault -"

"How wasn't it?!" Harry bellowed, casting aside the blanket and grasping at Jak's shoulders roughly shoving him aside. The teen, who barely resisted, watched from the sidelines with an expression akin to anxiety.

"Harry calm down..."

"No! I'm tired of this! I can't... I can't _understand _myself anymore! I don't know what is going on with me - and you won't _tell _me!" He turned around, hating how pleading his voice sounded. Sudden raw emotion burst through him with the idea of not being able to control his actions - with the embarrassment of having blacked out and done exactly what he had feared he might since Jak had freed him. Anger, guilt, pain, and the overwhelming sense of failure crashed onto his shoulders with a dizzy assault.

Harry spoke, and for the first time in a long time, he heard himself falter. "Always..." he breathed shaking violently, "I'm always getting people hurt... Since I was eleven years old... I've been... I can't even control myself anymore... All you've done is help me and I..." he trailed off, giving into exhaustion.

"Maybe _he _was right... I should have died that night..."

_Fight like a man, Potter! Your father died with his head held high! _

Two hands suddenly grasped at his shoulders, steadying him, and then forcing him back towards the bed. Dry of anything to vindicate standing, he fell without much protest. "Stop blaming yourself for things that are out of your control."

Harry stared at the taller blonde as he grabbed the chair and sat back down in it, his arms crossed over the side of Harry's bed. His face was set in grim revelation. "I risk my life, Daxters, and yours every time I step outside. Every time I hold up a gun or race into a group of Metal Heads. It's what we do, Harry, this is how our lives are."

The human covered his eyes with a hand, trying to block out the logic that laced Jak's words. "What... What happens if I lose control? You didn't attack Daxter or I, you turned away... What if I kill either of you? Maybe its better if I l-"

"No," snapped Jak suddenly angry, "you're not a coward and I won't let you become one. You don't think that I think about the same thing? That I run the scenario over and over again in my head? I was praying the Precursors that by some miracle your experiment failed - that both of us wouldn't have to go through this shit..." He hooded his eyes, "I didn't give up on you in Invisera and I sure as hell won't now... But you've got to stop giving up on yourself..."

Harry just stared at him. "I think I can hear your manhood dying with that one..."

"It's a horrible feeling," Jak sighed.

They were laughing before either of them had any idea why they were laughing. Either it was at the absurdity of the situation, the severity of it, or the sheer exhaustion - neither of them could tell anymore.

"... Why do you care so much?" Harry asked tiredly sitting forward again.

He wasn't exactly prepared for Jak's answer or how he seemed to make it sound as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Because, you're practically my brother."

He was stuck mute for a moment before a small, thankful, smile crawled across his lips. Jak, his own mouth twisting with a smile, stood up from the chair. "Now... I'm going to get you some clothes and you're going to get your ass out of bed..." He gave Harry a thoughtful look, "I probably have to go tear Dax off some poor girl right about now.

Harry laughed, which caused his ribs to ache. He braced his chest with both arms muttering disdainfully.

"We don't get paid enough for this crap..."


	20. A Shrink's Worst Nightmare

**Faithless: **; . ; My... my hands hurt.

_"blah blah," _Talkbox speech unless told it's not

_**Kindigo**_ :P

_**ALIJJ**_ Thank you!

_**Salamander Hanzo **_Sweet.

**

* * *

**

Semi-Automatic

Part Two: Losing It

* * *

**Chapter Twenty: **_A Shrink's Worst Nightmare_

The weeks after the incident were nothing short of _boring. _Both of the teens had been swamped with missions, yes, but they were nothing more than glorified grunt work. Either it was to keep them busy or Torn was trying to figure out how to put their talents to good use. Neither of them could tell and neither of them truly cared.

What the wizard was able to take away from the last two weeks was driving experience. He had been, for reasons he couldn't fathom, been selected to be the one who moved rebels from their Safe Houses to another once they buildings had been compromised. He had no driving experience with large zoomers and was lack luster with S.S zoomers as it was. The first day he had been on the transfer circuit he had been nearly two hours late to the rendezvous point because he wanted to make sure he had the controls. When he had been called on it he had lied and said that he had been cornered by a few Krimzon Guards. That had put off the Underground member enough for him not to comment about Harry's less than spectacular maneuvering through the clogged airways of the Slums.

Harry had been given insight into the members of the rebellion. Most of them were from the Slums themselves. They were fighting poverty, some were just in it to fight, and others wanted to see change. They, in a whole, believed in the cause they were fighting for. They were willing to lay down their lives for it.

Most found it odd that a Hype (Harry) was in Haven City for any reason at all. It was hard to leave Haven as it was. Why would someone not born within these walls want to be here anyway? If Harry had the patients, if he found it relevant to do so, the explanation was rather simple.

"Thanks kid, see you at the next meeting." Sazon suddenly spoke from beside Harry, knocking the human back to reality. For a moment he didn't understand why Sazon was crawling off the other side of the zoomer, but realized that he had already come to the drop off point. He acknowledged him with a nod as he watched the man slip through the crowd with ease. He lost sight of him nearly seconds later. He fit in perfectly with the low-brow people who crowded the streets trying to carve out a living on the unforgiving streets of Haven City.

This city wasn't named right...

Placing an arm over the headrest beside him, he checked behind before backing out. He shifted zones before taking off through the Slums. Sazon was his last pick up today, he was in no rush at all to get back to the base. He leaned his head on his knuckles, the other hand gripping the steering wheel loosely. His mind wandered, for the umpteenth time, back to station and what he didn't remember happening.

Even four days after, Jak was still limping. His injuries had taken a week to heal. That was a miracle by anyone else's standards, but by their standards it was a cause for concern. Even Jak, though he wouldn't admit it, was beginning to get anxious over the fact he wasn't healing. In the end the blonde had concluded that it was because he hadn't come in contact with Dark Eco after depleting everything he had in him. They had been forced to, by Torn's orders, to stay within in the confines of city. Short of breaking into the Fortress again, Dark Eco was in short supply city wide.

The only thing Harry knew for sure was that he had blacked out and attacked Jak. God, he had done a number on the elf. A broken shoulder blade, six fractured ribs, a concussion, a massive crater in his shoulder, and a broken leg.

He always knew something like this would happen.

What surprised Harry was that Daxter's attitude toward him hadn't changed a bit. He would still openly insult him when he got the chance and Harry had no problem handing it back. His opinon of the rodent, if not the mild respect he had for him, had changed slightly. Yet, even when he asked him what had happened, he couldn't get a straight answer.

Unfortunately, neither of the two had decided to clue Harry into the excuse they had fed the others. He had only found out a week later when he had been in the cafeteria and a man had come up to him asking exactly how many Metal Heads had been there.

Harry was almost tempted to search down the K.G named Ashelin and demand her to tell him what happened.

Letting out an aggravated sigh, he slowed with the traffic; deciding to comply with the laws gave him some time to think.

_What could wolf DNA and enhancers do to you? _

He ran the thought over and over in his head the last few weeks, but nothing came up. He could touch silver, so he was assuming he wasn't some form of a mutated werewolf. This world had a green moon; anyway, he doubted that would trigger it.

The wizard gripped the wheel harder with his gloved hand, teeth grinding. No matter how many times he asked, demanded, pleaded for Jak to tell him what happened; he wouldn't. Telling him it didn't matter; it had gotten rid of the Metal Heads and saved their asses.

He was hiding something and Harry _needed _to know.

A thick lay of mist had settled in Haven that morning, the weather gaining a sharper cold. Harry had no problem with the mist, he could see fine. From the amount of wreckage that the robotic cleaning drones were clearing off the streets and the K.G bots re-routing traffic most of the Havenites couldn't. Pushing the zoomer from the line, he slipped into alley dropping the vehicle down to ground level. For a moment he stayed in the zoomer leaning back into the driver's seat with hands pressed to his face.

_I need a vacation... If I ever get out of this, I need a very, very skilled shrink. _

With that thought in mind, Harry opted to walk the rest of the way back. It gave himself more time to think and test his knowledge of the twists and turns of the Slums. He all but ignored the eyes that followed him as he moved about the people.

Harry Potter had always been stared at and whispered behind his back. His scar was a symbol of living through the unlivable. Hell, he had a _day _devoted to him and what he accomplished as a baby. Here it was something entirely different. No cared what his name was, they didn't care what he did as a child, or that he was famous in _his _world. The only reason they stared, the only reason they whispered, was because they were trying to decide if he was going to use the Morph Gun strapped to his leg to commit genocide or not.

As he shoved his hands into the pocket of his pants; he brushed the rucksack clinging to his waist. Since he had gotten the pack he hadn't taken the chance to check what the woman Tess had put in it. He glanced to it for a moment before his attention was drawn by a man shouting out from a food stall. Harry still couldn't pronounce half the things the Precursians farmed and ate. Their fruits seemed to belong somewhere tropical, not in an industrialized city. Tossing the man an orb Harry grabbed a blue green spotted fruit off the stall and continued on his way.

The thing resembled an eggplant in shape and skin texture, but the inside was brilliantly green. Biting into it was almost like biting into a warm watermelon, but held the citrus taste of a orange. He had to admit he liked it. He made a mental note ask Jak what it was the next time he saw him.

Glancing back down at the worn leather at his hip he wondered what exactly she had put in it.

Precursors, how he _hated _surprises.

Harry let out a snort of a laugh, earning him a look from a man passing him, but he just grinned into the fruit. _When in Rome... _

Turning down the alley he cast a fleeting glance over his shoulder. Seeing that no guards had followed him, he stood in front of the camera waiting for the door to open. When it did he slipped in and down the stairs to the main floor. It was empty, as usual, except for Torn. Harry had always wondered why the sub-leader of the Underground was always on the main floor. Being second to only the Shadow, a defaulted K.G Commander, and a wanted man probably warranted a little more caution on his part.

In an attempt to slip by the man into the lower levels, he was halted by a slightly amused voice. "I've got your payment for the month." Harry, turning back to Torn, saw him motion him closer to few software-chip like devices held together by what looked like an elastic band.

Taking a bit out of the fruit Harry eyed the chips as if they contained some disease. He had never seen them before and had absolutely no idea what they were. "It's only been three weeks," he trailed off chewing intently.

Torn's face twisted slightly with aggravation as he leaned heavily on his hands. His eyes clearly said what he hadn't. _Shut up and just take it before I shoot you. _Harry could take the man easily, but he was still a great deal bigger than Harry. The human didn't know what training the man had or if he was really above shooting a teenager who was sickly thin with barely anything to him.

How appearances lied.

Snatching the chips off the table he shoved them into his pocket. He turned to leave, but Torn cleared his throat expectantly. "I'm not down with you yet -"

Turning back, annoyance lacing his voice, he narrowed his eyes on the tattooed man. "If it's another pick up mission or drop of-"

"You'd do it without complaint." Torn cut in with a growl.

"Yes _Sir._" The word was strained and in no way respectful.

"I've decided I can trust you enough to give you this mission," he told him ignoring Harry's obvious lack of respect, "it's from the Shadow."

_Finally. _Harry thought walking closer to the round table. No more transfer circuit and he'd able to get out of the cesspit of a city to breathe some actual air. He skimmed the plans only answering. "Is that so..."

"Just listen." Growled Torn through his teeth.

Biting back his retort with a mouthful of fruit, he allowed the man to continue. "I've sent Jak and Daxter with a group into the Sewers to collect some Blue Eco from an unused vent. I need you to go to Haven Forest -"

"This place has a _forest?" _He couldn't hide the disbelief in his voice. He never imagined, in a million years, that this place would have anything remotely green in it.

A grunt silent Harry. "That's the point. Almost none of my people know how to navigate a forest like that. The only people that do are on other work and I'm need here."

For the life of him Harry couldn't understand what Torn wanted of him. He had some experience navigating the Jungle around Invisera - but this was something Jak was far more suited for. The island native had grown up running through jungles and forests the like.

Seeing his confusion Torn added. "Tess says that you're from Hyper, correct?"

_Damn... That came back to bite me in the ass... _"Mmmhmmm."

"Then you'll have no problem," he stood straight with a smirk tugging at his lips, "its right up your alley."

Hyper, especially Eastern Side, was located right in the middle of the Ivory Jungle. If he were truly Hype, no - he wouldn't have a problem dealing with it. He was sure that no one in Haven City was aware of its locations unless they were Invisrin.

"After all, Hyper is a rural place. Every Hype knows how to work terrain like that." Torn finished with his arms crossed over his chest.

The black haired teen hid his annoyance under his mask, but was silently cursing the soldier's very existence. "Yes... It does. Alright, I'll do it. But do you have a map of the place? Knowing how to work a terrain doesn't mean I have any idea of where I'm going."

Torn laughed shortly. "Ha, you wish. Haven Forest spans over two million hectors of land; most of it has never been explored. I need you to go and search out Green Eco Crystals for the Shadow."

Harry's throat constricted and he choked as he tried to swallow nearly biting his tongue.

"Is there a problem?" Torn demanded, unimpressed.

"You said Green Eco Crystals, right?"

"Yes."

"Thought so." Was Harry's dull answer.

_

* * *

_

- Semi-Automatic -

_It was so cold that it hurt to breathe. The tropical heat and dry humidity he had grown up in made it seem like this place was almost arctic. His body shivered as his jaw quivered incessantly. Shifting his weight didn't help relieve the numbing ache that coiled tightly in his shoulders and arms. Held above his head, the cuffs latched on a small catch, he had lost almost all feel in them. He couldn't even tell if he had fingers anymore, being that he had lost all feeling in them. _

_The numbness was nothing compared to the stinging pain that erupted through his neck and crawled down into his chest and legs. It made him hiss with every movement and caused his eyes to water. The gauze that was carelessly wrapped around the large, bleeding contusion, scratched at his jaw every time he brushed it leaving a patch of raw, bleeding skin. _

_In reality he had no one else to blame but himself for it. It was the price he had paid for his stupidity and stubbornness. He had yet to comply with any order he had been given since he had been knocked unconscious on the bridge. There was no clock in the room and no windows to the outside in the miserably dark space. If he had to take a guess, a rough, rough estimate, he could say he had only been here three days. _

_Today would be the forth, if he had it right. _

_He let out a horrid groan as he could no longer hold his breath. His lungs burned with a need for air he couldn't ignore any longer. Unable to take deep breaths in fear of the pain, he gasped quickly and swallow to fight back the growing tension in his constricting throat. Closing blood shot eyes, unable to see through the ink-like blackness anyway, he thought back to how he hand ended up like this. _

_It had been a day or so ago, maybe. They were going to perform some type of surgery. He knew absolutely nothing about procedures or medical tests. He had only ever heard of it as a wickedly barbaric practice that killed more than it helped. Once the words had left the mouth of the man clad in red metal, panic ran through him like a bullet. Stomach dropping out and head swimming. They were going to kill him. _

_Desperately trying to escape, he had moved away from the room with machines and a bed with leather straps and metal railings. He made it to the hallway before the red-metal men had dragged him back. The chair with Dark Eco had left him delirious and out of it. His strength had all but abandoned him; his arms and legs like ten tone weights connected to his torso. They pushed and shoved him back toward the room, but he fought with everything he had. They pointed weapons at him, but he didn't understand what they did and had no fear of them. It took a man wrapping his arms around his shoulders in a bear-hug from behind to get him onto the table. Another had tied the straps down tight on one wrist. With the other hand, he lashed out; refusing to just lay there and let them kill him. A yelp of pain and an excessive amount of swearing he realized he had broken the nose of one of the red-metal men when. _

_The men left the room, one holding his nose as blood ran freely from it, and it lapsed into a silence where he could only hear his labored breathing. It took him moments to realize the reason why they had let him be. He may have won the fight, but the red-metal men had won the war. Somewhere in the skirmish, a long needle had been jabbed into the crook of his free arm. He yanked at the leather strap, but couldn't get his hand free to take the offending thing out. Whatever was inside the capsule made him drowsy and his head swirl. _

_The room became blurry as his vision began to fail, his muscles relaxing on their own will. He fell back against the pillows trying to fight the velvet like darkness that was trying to swallow him whole. He needed to stay awake, he told himself, and if he fell asleep he would die. He wouldn't wake up. He needed to stay awake. _

_Before he could comprehend what had grabbed the material of his shredded shirt, he was tossed violently from the bed by an unseen force. A staggered cry ripped from his lips as his shoulder gave a savage crack, ripped out of its socket, and forearm cracked upon meeting a solid mass. He cradled his now shattered bone close to his chest with tears streaming down his face from the pain. He tried to claw out of the bogged grip of the drug, but it kept a vice like grip on his mind. _

_He doubled over in an attempt to stop the spinning, but only found pain erupting from under his chin. A spike at the tip of the thing that hit him punctured his skin; he could feel the metal on his tongue just as the coopery taste of blood pooled in. He was forced up, away from the force, and his back arched painfully. A hand snapped out, digging fingers in his hair, and pulled him farther back. _

_"Honestly, how stupid are you?" A voice asked darkly unimpressed. _

_Opening his eyes for the first time since the assault started, he stared into the blurry face of a man he recognized. The red hair, the blue-grey tattoos, and too yellow eyes that reminded him of a Lurker. It was the same one that had been on the bridge. He choked helplessly on the blood as the Lurker-eyed man pulled him roughly to his feet by his hair. He groaned in pain as he was shoved against the wall. A immovable hand pressed against his injured shoulder making him mumble in incoherent pain. _

_"Four men in two days..." Hissed the man enunciating each word with a jab to the soft, empty, flesh of his shoulder. He stopped moving, he stopped breathing just to make the man stop. He could feel the warm blood running down his chin and dripping on his half bare chest. "Are you done?" _

_Every fiber of his body told him to just stay still, to not breathe, to play dead and maybe the Lurker-eyed man would leave him be. Even as he opened his eyes to stare at the blurry figure, his mind was screaming for him to stop. He summoned what little courage he had left and glared at him defiantly, jerking forward against the pressure on his shoulder to show he wasn't. _

_"Fine," the man sighed, "I shouldn't have expected much more from _you."

_For a moment, as the man moved back, he thought he was going to be let go. A fist clenched what remained of his shirt tightly and another landed a hit squarely to his jaw, breaking it with a sickening crunch. The powerful shot didn't knock him out, but caused him to stagger. The man grabbed his shoulder and slammed a metal encased knee into his chest. All breathe left at that moment as his broken jaw clicked against his top jaw painfully. _

_He crawled away from the Lurker-eyed man whimpering in more pain that he ever thought possible. Stars danced across his already rapidly deteriorating vision as he could now only see the shadow of the man standing above him. He curled tightly in a ball, shielding his face from further assault. This caused the man to laugh at him. He had never felt more pathetic and terrified in his life. Even standing on top of a Dark Eco silo, vaulting hundreds of feet in the air to avoid concussive explosions, or staring down a crudely rebuilt Precursor Robot made him this terrified. _

_Yelping as his hair was used to pull him back to his feet; the man asked a simple question. "You want to hit me?" his voice held nothing but cocky amusement in an accent he'd never heard before. The hand left the terrified youth's hair and he was left with only the wall as support. _

_He was never a violent child. He had never willing inflicted pain on something in his life. He had fought Lurkers, yes, but that was to keep his village safe. It was to find away to turn his best friend back to into a boy. _

_The blur spread his arms wide, giving access to his chest, and spoke in a tone that said he was completely amused and totally serious. "Come on then, Kid, give it your best shot, I dare you." _

_The island native knew as soon as he threw the clumsy punch; consciousness was overrated. _

_It wasn't even a fight. He made sure that the boy got the point. Made it perfectly clear he understood, as daft as he was, who he had to listen to and what would happen if he didn't. _

_He had woken, however many hours later, like this. Slumping as much as the cuffs would allow, his heels slipped across the floor in front of him. He hissed in pain as his body pulsed vividly. Sucking in breath through space between his back maulers, he attempted to bring his thoughts into some semblance of order. Running his tongue along the wire that stitched his teeth together he wondered why they had done it. He had broken his jaw before, a bone club to the face had left him unable to eat solid foods for days - but Green Eco had healed it easily enough after Samos had finished berating him for stupid, reckless action. Daxter had laughed for hours about it. _

Jak, _Samos had said, _we don't use our faces to stop incoming clubs. We duck.

_It was almost painful to remember his village, Daxter, or anything else that remotely tied back to it. He didn't know what he had done to deserved this, but as the Precursors as his witness, he was sorry. _

_"Heh, you're actually awake." A hand touched his chin in the dark, forcing his head up, and neck to scream with pain. He opened his eyes instantly hissing through clenched teeth. It was the Lurker-eyed man... He let go of his chin and studied him for a moment, as if considering something about him. Jak, jerking slightly, wanted as much space between him and the man as possible. His arm, wrapped in casting mold, and his wired jaw were souvenirs from the last time he had been in the same room with the man. _

_"You could have," suddenly Jak felt cloth fingers on his neck pressing against it harshly and running up toward the gauze, "made this much easier on yourself." He finished peeling away the gauze agonizingly slow. Jak made sounds of protest and went rigid as he prodded at the haphazard stitching of the long jagged cut. "its infected." he said this as if he truly didn't care, like it only made more work for him. _

_Jak's body was a light with fire, eyes shut tightly. _

_"Silio says you'll be able to speak once they remove the wire," the Lurker-Eyed man stepped back looking amused, "which won't be for awhile. You'll be able to speak your first words... how... _touching." _He trailed off as Jak was slowly slipping away from consciousness. He wanted to be left alone, he wanted to yell at him, and he wanted to break his jaw in return for his arm. Both fear and the inability to move kept him to the wall. Once his eyes had fallen away from the man's face, he spotted a hilted massive knife at his hip. He had seen sculpting knives, he had seen knives used to cut fruit and gut fish, but he had never seen a knife like that. The blade, easily the length of his hand, was tipped sharply and serrated on one edge. The handle, thick and black, rounded out and curved to fit into a hand perfectly. _

_The man before him must have seen the horrified look on his face and looked down to see what he was staring at. He cast his eyes side-long to Jak with a tight smirk crossing his lips. He unlatched it from the holster and moved it side to side dangerously close to Jak's face, the metal barely brushing his nose. _

_"You're afraid of this?" He sounded, for the millionth time, endlessly amused. Taking in his bloody form for a moment, he curved his hand to the blunt end of the knife ran across the underside of his wrist. The serrated edge pointed directly at Jak's neck. "Like I told you before. Comply and things would be a lot easier for you. Get it?" _

_Once again his mind was screaming for him to just nod, to just concede to the fact he could kill him with something as simple as moving his wrist. Yet, he was known for being incredibly dense at times. Swirling the blood in his mouth, glaring the best he could, he spat at the man. Hitting him square in the eye. _

_He instantly regretted it. Jak could say it was possibly the worst mistake he had ever made in his short like. He just spit in the face of a man that had beaten him to an inch of his life for breaking the nose of one of the red-metal men. His blood ran cold as his breath hitched in his throat upon realizing what he had done. _

_Calmly the man closed his eyes, taking a gloved had to wipe the blood-laced spittle from his face. There was long silence for him and Jak swore he could see fire in his eyes. The fifteen year old was terrified of what was going to happen next, only knowing that more broken bones were to follow. With a sudden jerk, Jak's arms were freed from the catch, and he was lying on the flat of his back with a foot pressed on his chest. Calm fury was etched into very line of the Lurker-eyed man's face. He pressed harder with his boot, pressing the arm out of Jak's lungs, while draping an arm over his knee. _

"_Work this through your head." He told him, "You're stuck here until you die. This sort of shit," he motioned to his face where traces of blood still stood, "will get you killed faster than need be. We have ten other test subjects and I'm sure missing one hassle won't be noticed." He dug his heel in deeper, threatening to break his ribs. He watched him squirm and weakly push at the foot with cuffed hands before continuing. "If you _listen _things won't be as difficult." _

_All Jak could manage was a pathetic pleading whimper. _

_The Lurker-eyed man leaned further on his knee, pressing even harder on his chest. "Jak, right?" _

_The teen looked at him hearing his name on nothing more than impulse alone. _

"_We own you. __**I **__own you. Get that and you'll be the better for it." He reached forward tapping the blade against Jak's temple. "I can do anything I want to you." To prove the point, he drove the large knife straight through the bottom part of Jak's ear. "I'm sure a few of our inmates would _love _to meet you, if you know what I mean." _

_No. Jak didn't know what he meant and he prayed to god that he never found out. _

_Ripping out the knife he pointed the tip at his chin. "Play by the rules, Jak, and I'll keep you away from the main population of the prison, hell even some of the guards." He laughed at this, "I'm a man of my word." _

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Semi-Automatic

Jak's eyes snapped open with a mild alarm. He took in his surroundings quickly to realize that he was still leaning against the heated pipe. His Blaster, resting beside him, hadn't moved and Daxter was still there. He ran a hand through his hair tiredly with a relieved sigh. He hadn't even realized that he had drifted off. He was slightly amazed that he had let his guard down enough for it to even happen.

He cast his eyes to the center of the room; they rested on the white and orange lump that lay in the slatted light of a street grate. His eyes half lidded and looking incredibly bored. His tailed twitched in aggravation as he placed it down on the patch of blackened fur.

"More trouble than they're worth..." Muttered Daxter sourly glaring up at the light.

He couldn't help but snort in agreement. Something as simple as a watch, listen, and make sure they got what they came for mission should have been easy.

No. It had been hell.

As soon as they had stepped into the Sewers in the span of fifteen minutes Jak had to make sure that the youngest of them didn't get himself killed more than once. The other two women were as bad, but in no way careful as they should be when it came to navigating the confusing tunnels. The boy had already almost gotten them all killed eight times in the last six hours, he didn't need the other two doing their best to do the same. The seventeen year old had ripped the charges off the boy's back and handed them to Valerie after he dealt with a Metal Head that had all but dog piled him for the Eco-laced charge. She apologized for him and dragged Caro, the youngest, the rest of the way. The second, Marvina, shook her head and muttered another apology.

He hated babysitting idiots.

Both Jak and Daxter had opted to wait in the adjoining corridor behind while they siphoned the Blue Eco out of the electrical panels and forgotten vent. Leaning his head on the wall behind him, Jak stared up towards the grate and the mist that seeped through at the very top. Occasionally a shadow of a person would walk by, oblivious to what was going on below them.

... He still vividly remembered that day.

There had been once, within the month before he left for Invisera, that Jak thought he had taken a little _too_ far. That he had broken the rules a little too much. He still remembered being roughly thrown to the floor of his cell and being pinned under him. All because Jak had broken three guards noses, a leg, and yelled 'No!' to going to the injection room before punching a K.G in the visor - effectible knocking a man two times his size out.

Jak struggled, lashed out, and tried to get away, but all the bitter courage that drove him was washed away after Errol had finished beating him to almost the point of unconsciousness and reminded him of their deal.

What exactly he could do to him. What he could and _would _do to him, and the simple fact that he wasn't going to be able to fight him off. It didn't precede any farther than that because Jak had submitted; nearly screaming that he'd go into the chair without a fight or argument.

Even when he had returned from Invisera, he had been more than a little defiant and had the power to back it up this time, he was still weaker the Errol.

And yet... All Jak had gotten out of that day was not being able to move for several. He had complied, played enough by their _agreement _that the outcome of his defiance didn't happen. He'd still use the threat of it; use the _understanding _they had to keep him in line somewhat. He took to humiliating him every chance he got and thriving on making him squirm.

Jak honestly didn't know if he was that iron willed to deal with something like _that _if it had ever happened. It disgusted him how afraid he had been of the man, how much control he actually had over him. After awhile all it did was fuel the hate Jak had.

Hell... _hate _wasn't even the word to describe it.

He had also told him, as Jak lay half conscious on the floor after a injection, he would have never had to deal with him if Errol hadn't seen the man walking out the medical room with a broken nose. It all came down to the fact that Commander was there for an annual medical exam.

Fate hated Jak.

Jak would make the bastard pay for it.

He was going to make sure that his death was slow, ruthless, and as painful as he could make it. He wasn't the same fifteen year old kid that could be manipulated by fear anymore. Jak was going to make sure Errol feared _him _as much as he made Jak fear him.

The dark elf flexed his hand dangerously as a solitary Dark Eco spark flew between his fingertips, show casing the very slight control he had.

He'd like to meet him in a dark alley now.

Screams erupted from the corridor ahead of them where the collectors were collecting the Eco. Jak's head whipped up to the door as a woman's voice, Marvina, screamed. "Metal Heads!"

Jak swiped his gun from the wall and Daxter off the floor as he groaned rolling his eyes. "Not again..."

_**- End of Part II: Losing It -**_


	21. Aqua Phobic

**Faithless:** : ( Reviews? Where art thou? Let's see if we can reach ninety by chapter twenty-three, huh? That would be cool. This is pretty much just a filler chapter – but some important stuff happens and – in shameless self promotion – I have a new story up that I'm going to finish not matter what. Go take a look... plz?

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Semi-Automatic

Part Three: Dead Men

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**Chapter Twenty-One: **_Aqua phobic_

The small eco powered platform dropped into the canyon almost instantly as his foot left the bronze metal. The low humming and faint blue glow fading as it was swallowed up by the gorge that it had carried him over. Finally, with solid ground under his feet, Harry allowed his heart to go back down into his chest. He was in awe of the technology, the Precursor Temple ruins, and the sheer size of the forest. To hear it was one thing, to see it was another. The temple he had passed on the disc was nothing short of amazing. The structure, weather beaten and old, reflected the sun like it was on fire itself. It glowed like a beacon in the middle of the dark greens, dull greys, and the sinister purple that hissed at the base. Water cascaded from down from the temple itself from some unseen source pooling pits and hallows that had been beaten into the stone. Trees and vines grew out of the rock surging upward toward the sun and crawling up the stone towards the blue fire that was alive at the center of the temple.

The Forbidden Forest had _nothing _on this.

Passing through the massive bronze archway Harry found he was no longer in the tunnel like gorge, but on top of a drop-line cliff. The tree, only feet taller than the cliff, crowded out in front of him like a green shield. The spanned across to another dizzyingly high cliff that seemed to cut the forest in half. Leaning over the side, cautious of the fall, Harry was unable to break through the canopy to see the bottom. The clustered leaves and thick branches offered no crack or divide large enough for even sun to reach through. With the heavy scent of smoke, exhaust, and machines that hung in the air – Harry sure that was what caused the sickly yellow color of the top branches.

Even if it was outside Haven`s walls, he had already seen the start of demolish on the boarders of the forest. Drones, equipment, and boxes of supplies stacked up against a stone a valley wall near the Warp Gate. Harry, knowing better than to let a with a Krimzon Guard logo on lie in piece, picked through the crates and damaged the offline drones beyond repair. He had found a decent amount of ammo and a discarded combat knife. Harry had never been partial to the dagger-like weapon, but he didn`t doubt that it would help clear the underbrush he was sure to slog through.

Harry dropped his hand to his belt and unlatched the Eco Radar that Harry had passed onto him for the mission. It was, he had been told, modified to pick out eco from hidden sources. It was hyper sensitive to green and set only to find green for his mission. It would alert him with a loud blaring alarm once he was within ten paces of it. The radar was incredibly, thankfully, silent. Placing the device back, Harry pulled out his newly purchased Talkbox with the credit-chips he had received for his payment. He studied it uncertain for a moment, thinning his lips into a tight line. He still didn`t believe, despite seeing it himself, that this paper thin device was able to transform itself into a moderately large phone-like tool that hovered around Jak barking out orders of the caller.

"Call Jak..." He spoke quietly feeling like an idiot and repeated the number he had been given. Without fail the disc leapt from his palm and morphed itself out into a sleeker black design. It clicked and cracked making a connection and began to dial just like any other telephone on speed dial. The connection cut to white noise and the aggravated voice of Jak came through.

"_I'm busy –" _the sound of gunfire and the airy, breathless growls of Metal Heads cut him off briefly, "_who the hell is it?" _

Harry was half tempted to cut the call to leave Jak to the mess he had gotten himself it with his full attention. Yet, the memory of the wicked burn that had nearly taken his arm off picked at his brain. "It's me Jak,"

"_Didn't know you had a Talkbox – move!" _He shouted angrily over the gunfire, a woman screaming, scraping metal, and grinding gears.

"This a bad time, Jak?" He couldn't hold back the mocking tone as he quoted the elf.

"_... Haha, Harry... what do you need?" _

"You'll have to see the Soothsayer yourself," he went on as he began to scale down the massive cliff, "but I do have a problem."

"_What?" _

"Torn asked me to collect green eco crystals for the Shadow."

"_Shit – get back to the wall!" _His voice was once again drowned out by the sound of gunfire and growls.

Sliding on a slanted rock, Harry asked bemused. "Having fun?"

"_Loads – what are you going to do then?" _

"_Jak! The roof! Look at the damn roof!" _Screamed Daxter faintly in the background.

Harry decided that he had distracted the teen enough to get his revenge. "I'll figure it out." With that said, the connection cut and the Talkbox slid into his pocket as a small disk. It was definitely a feeling that he would have to get used to. With a final two foot drop Harry dipped below that last of the canopy to the ground below.

The forest changed dramatically within the two second fall. The sun completely masked by the alder trees massive leaves leaving the forest in a perpetual state of night. It was green. A dark rich, healthy green that the human didn't believe could exist in smog the industrial metropolis produced. The plants, bright and dark, grew with a vengeance. The aroma of damp earth, pollen, and floral scents was oddly calming to Harry. It reminded him, somewhat, of when the Herbology Greenhouses had been flooded with the pollen of a plant they had been trying to harvest for a Calming Drought.

The _air, _by far, was something he could appreciate. It was fresh and clean. No trace of smog, subtle decay, or pollution. It held the faint taste of a creek that cut through the forest from a waterfall on the farthest side. Idly he wondered if the thriving nature of the forest was due to the crystals Torn had sent him here for. Jak had told him once that green eco was connected solely to nature. Plants thrived on the energy and eventually produced more of it once they had taken in enough.

He wandered around without a direction for nearly an hour. He knew he should have been frustrated by the lack of crystals, but he was strangely calm. It was a hindrance, but he couldn't seem to find a reason to be mad about it. The sounds of the forest animals, birds, and the occasional frog, made Harry increasingly more at home. He studied the lush vegetation with admiration and wondered if there was really a point in going back to the city. This place was less stressful and just seemed... _calm._ Harry didn't even realize he had spent three hours walking around the dark side of the forest until he happened to glance down at the time radar. Even then, he didn't really care.

"_Stupid Two-Legs..." _

Harry banked right immediately with his gun already in his hand. His shoulders tensed searching for the source of the voice. He silently berated himself for not paying more attention to his surroundings. Harry now realized that the soothing effect of the forest wasn't as good as it had seemed. Even now, with a gun in hand, he was nowhere near as worried about the incoming threat as he should have been. The voice had been distant, probably behind him, but clear enough for him to understand. Had a guard followed him or did he just have the bad luck to have a patrol come back for the tools they had left near the Warp Gate? After five minutes no one appeared from any direction. He checked his back pocket thinking perhaps his Talkbox had activated, but the disc was harmlessly offline. Sagging his shoulder the teenager let out a sigh rubbing the back of his neck. He needed to get out this forest before he went crazy.

_Great, _he thought staring at the creek at his feet, _now I'm hearing things... _

The rustle of leaves made the hair on the nape of his neck stand on end. He whipped around aiming the gun and fired six times before he had time to stop himself. The last thing he needed was a Metal Head to rush him... But, then again, he hadn't seen a single Metal Head since he had been here. A tense silence passed as a very odd creature came slithering out from the decimated bush. It wasn't a Metal Head and looked relatively harmless.

The animal was small; its slim body covered in dark blue scales that made it almost blend with the dark grass. However, two white grey speckled feathery wings that sprouted from its back made it easily spotted in the open. The feathered wing told him that it definitely wasn't a brand of Metal Head he hadn't seen before; that and the absence of a yellow gem anywhere on its body. Metal Heads were insect-like in their wings and webbing. It was a thin membrane that shredded easily, not the sturdy bone supported appendages that came off the creature. It had no arms or legs and frankly looked like a bone armoured snake with wings. It reared back at him using its wings to support itself. Creature couldn't have been higher than two feet, the wing span perhaps a few feet more. Its green eyes glowed in the dark and narrowed on him as if angry that he had shot at it.

Harry let out a sigh as he rolled his eyes and packed his gun away. He pressed his palm to his forehead with a scowl. "Alright... Just too jumpy there, Harry." He wasn't used to calm like this; he didn't like it. Glancing back at the animal he was half tempted to provoke it to have something attack him. He needed to shoot something before he shot himself in the foot just to make this trip more interesting.

"Heh, Dax may have been right... I need to lay off the coffee..." Harry muttered smiling in spite of himself.

Six cups in the morning wasn't the best idea.

"_Great... a Two-Legss that talks to himssself." _

Every part of Harry's body froze at that moment. The voice wasn't familiar, but the way it was spoken caused every thought to come to a crashing halt. The voice had been too distant in sound for Harry to pick up on the _way _it was peaking. He started chuckle, then burst into uncontrollably laughter at the situation he found himself in, almost not believing it was happening here of all places.

The unmistakably female voice muttered disdainfully. _"... and he's insane." _

"_I can hear you, you know that right?" _Harry answered slowly turning back to face the creature. For a moment he wondered if the snake could understand him. Parseltongue worked on snakes exclusively, not reptiles. Harry barley had an understanding of the ability anyway. He didn't know when he was speaking English or Parseltongue other than the fact he dragged out his 'S's in a hiss. The surprise in its glowing eyes was enough to assure him that the hybrid understood him, but the way she reared back and bared her surprisingly long fangs wasn't so reassuring.

"_Whoa, calm down," _he told the creature rising up one hand, the second going to his gun. He had a feeling he could survive a bite if the thing was poisonous... But he had a thing about being bitten by snakes; he _really _didn't like it. _"I'm not going to hurt you." _

"_How can you speak? Two-Legs can't ssspeak!" _She demanded flicking her tail dangerously. It was then that Harry noticed the small, sharp, scythe like bone that grew out in a curve at the end. He had no doubt that was the main weapon of the creature other than the teeth.

For a moment Harry considered what he was going to say to the creature, but the thought was wiped as pain burst from his shoulder. The snake had lunged at him digging her fangs deep into his left should. She beat her wings dangerously close to Harry's face, beating at his neck harshly. He grabbed the neck and pried it off his shoulder holding her at arm's length to avoid the trashing wings and tail.

"_Let me go!" _she cried out enraged, "_Let me down!" _

Giving the creature a dull look, Harry waited the creature out. Eventually she stopped and glowered at him. "_You done?" _

Her silence was his answer.

As he still stood at the edge of the creek, he planned to drop the creature in just to have the satisfaction of watching it flop around in the rushing current. He doubted, by the feather of her wings, she was an aquatic creature. He didn't expect the creature to literally shriek, coil herself tightly around his arm terrified. She hugged her wings around his forearm desperately and pressed the bottom of her diamond shaped head to the back of it hand. It was clinging to him like he had held it over open flames.

"_I had no idea... snakes could shriek." _Harry muttered in both disbelief and amusement.

"_Please don't!" _She begged her glowing eyes wide in alarm and fear.

His shoulder stung painfully and he was very, very tempted to do it anyway. _"No more biting?" _

She nodded vigorously. Harry took her away from the water and, as she relaxed, threw her directly back into the bushes. The sound of breaking twigs and venomous hissing as it fumbled around caused Harry to smirk as he rubbed the spot where she had dug her fangs in. Pushing back the fabric of his jacket he studied the skin. He didn't know much about Precursian animals, but the thing was definitely poisonous. The skin was angry around the puncture woods, blood pooling in the craters. Blue tendrils coiled around the wounds growing steadily towards his neck before bending backwards. It was healing, slowly, but it still stung like a son of a bi-

His train of thought was cut off by the radar ringing loudly at his side breaking the endless silence of Haven Forest. "Finally!" He hissed in relief snatching the radar from his belt. The small screen displayed three green dots almost directly in front of him. Moving to the right the sound died, but moving back to the left it sprung up again. The encounter with the snake-thing was completely forgotten as he pressed the radar up against a tree. It blared as loud as it could signal that the crystals were inside of it.

Taking the K.G combat knife, Harry dug the tip into the bark ripping it back. It exposed the lighter underside of the tree and a crevice that held three large glowing emeralds. They pulsed vividly in the dark of the forest and emitted a green mist that Harry inhaled deeply.

"Ballocks!" Harry shouted clasping his hands over his mouth stumbling back. His head spun as his world tilted for a moment. His chest ignited with the same blistering feeling he had felt the first time he had experienced green eco. He coughed, sputtering, and let out a long string of profanities that would put Daxter to shame. The concentrated amounts of eco were going to screw with him the entire way back to the Hideout. He couldn't even touch them through his gloves without being burnt.

"_You're such a basstard..." _

Harry groaned loudly raising his eyes up the shaft of the tree. The winged snake descended to his eyes level, her body wrapped firmly around the trunk with her wings curled to her back. "_And for a snake you have a very good grasp on human vocabulary." _He shouldn't be surprised... Not after meeting Daxter.

"_It is ssstupid to assume that Two-Legss are the only intelligent creatures around," _she snapped turning her eyes on the green crystals that glowed the same way her eyes did. She slithered into the knot and played with them with her tail. "_You can't touch these." _

He growled slight at her tone, not impressed. "_I'm being mocked by a three-foot ssnake scared of water..." _

She hissed at him equally unimpressed, "_Tell me how you can sspeak and I'll help you thessse." _

"_Or," _Harry reminded her darkly, eyes skipping to the creek, _"I can tosss you in the water and be done with you." _

She narrowed her eyes on him, almost daring, and then ran the edge of her tail across her chin saying in a calm, none-caring way. _"Then you are... How do you sssaay? Ssscrewed."_

He really was. Harry couldn't walk away without those crystals... What harm was there in telling the creature anyway? He severally doubted that he was going to run across an elf with the same ability as him. "_Short and simple – I am a human and a Parseltongue._" He knew that the creature probably had no idea what he was talking about.

The snake-hybrid blinked once, then said. _"Human...? Fair enough... I suppose. Might be the reason the paralytic isn't working..." _Turning back to the crystals she stared at them intently. With a snap she adjusted her jaw to take in all three in one swallow slithering out of the knot and up his leg. He went stalk still as her scales grazed his skin and pushed up his shirt. One wing clung to his back underneath the jacket with a hook, the other spread over his chest. Her eyes, leveling with his, stared at him expectantly.

_"What the hell are you doing?" _He hissed. The way she wrapped herself around him was far too much like the way Nagini, Voldemort's massive diamonded head boa, had done nearly crushing his chest in the process. No. He didn't like the feeling of a snake wrapped around him.

She hooded her eyes hissing through the mouthful of gems. _"Helping... Can you feel the cryssstals, Human?" _

He had to admit that he couldn't feel them at all. No dizziness, no burning, and they were technically right beside his face. _"No..." _

_"I am only helping you to the entrance of the foresst - then you are on your own." _She told him dipping her head, but eyes never leaving his face.

_"Fine with me..." _

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_"You walk ssslow, Human." _The hybrid commented sourly coiling tighter around his waist as he traversed his way back toward the archway - and where he could finally ditch the mouth-piece of a snake. Harry didn't look down as he knew she was staring up at him with distaste and anger that he wasn't rising to taunts. It was becoming increasingly harder by the moment. She was worse than Daxter... At least he had the decency to _stop _at one point or another. She had taken to demeaning him on his every fault and some that he, apparently, didn't know about. He was too skinny, too pale, and that all Two-Legs were annoying. That the only reason she was helping him was because she just wanted him out of _her_ forest. That he smelled oddly, as her words had been, of canine and something else sharper.

Now, on top of it all, he walked too slowly.

_Stay calm,_ he repeatedly silently to had to constantly remind himself why he was putting up with the creature. Why he didn't just toss the aqua phobic snake into the nearest pool of water. He needed those crystals.

As he continued to back track, his mind wandered away from the belittling creature clinging to his form. It went back to the Metal Heads and the cliff he had taken a swan dive off of. It went back to the Hig Hog and the magic he had used to silence Daxter. The way it had hurt and why, after the countless times he had wished Alec or Neverous dead, why he had never used accidental magic then. Was it because something as simple as the curse had taken so much out of him? That something on the level of the Killing Curse he couldn't even do when he had his wand? He had the intent behind it, but he didn't have the skill or practice.

That could be it, but something was still wrong.

Harry snorted, a spiteful smirk blooming on his lips. Of course something was wrong. He hadn't been right since he was fourteen years old. Or... Did it have something to do with his apparent banishment and penance?

Shaking his head in frustration, Harry let out aggravated grunt. He had too many questions and no answers in sight. He knew the more he focused on it, the more insane he was going to drive himself. He just needed to focus what was going on here and now. He didn't need answers, he needed to finish the sole reason he was in this forest, why he was still in this city.

He let out a sharp breath as his thighs suddenly snapped together tightly like he had been hit by a binding curse. Only because he had slammed his palm against a rock did he stop himself from falling face first into a bush full of thorns. Snapping his eyes down angrily to the snake he ground out furiously. _"What?" _

The snake was staring up at him intently. No intent on her face, but a neutral expression of thinking and considering. She flicked her forked tongue out at him, but remained slightly as she moved off him. He felt the claw-like hook dig deeper and let out a small growl as it scraped his skin. He half expected her to hurdle another insult at him, but she merely hit the ground and slithered behind him for a moment.

_"What the hell are you doing - you said to the gate..."_ He demanded tiredly but relieved to have her off him.

Ignoring him the creature stopped in front of a crushed pink and yellow plant that Harry had trampled over on his way down here. Unfurling her wings she curled them around the plant like a shield and stared it at with a sad expression. Her eyes shimmered slightly as she hissed. _"Two-Legs give very little about the forest..." _

With a low gentle hiss the creature seemed to breathe the green mist on the damaged flower. It breathed life into it causing it grow and flourish nearly twice its size. She nudged with her nose and seemed to smile at it before turning back to him with a scowl.

He silently considered the creature as it coiled around him again. He knew that the Forbidden Forest that bordered his school had caretakers of sorts inside it. Magical animals and the Centaurs that lived within it - the forest itself was maintained by magic. He wondered if this creature was of a species that did the same for this forest. It was obvious by the fangs, the poison, and the scythe-like tail that she was meant for combat. Yet, the way he had just see her act towards something as small as a trampled flower...

"_There," _she broke his train of thought pointing her wing to the archway, "_we're here." _with that the creature pushed her head into his rucksack letting the crystals fall into the pack and slithered back into the underbrush without another word. Instantly Harry felt the mild heat from the crystals on his thigh. It seeped into a burning in his chest as he stepped onto the platform that would take him back to the Warp Gate. Once his feet touched down on the grass, the mild discomfort was staring to become an issue.

"I told you not to touch anything," Jak's bemused voice echoed from his side.

Turning slightly Harry spotted Jak walking down a path to his side. An irate Daxter was sitting on his shoulder stroking his tail gently. The smell of burnt fur and the black color of it led Harry to guess what had happened. Yet, for all of it, he still had to ask. "What happened to him?"

"Funny story behind that, really -" Jak stopped short turning to look to Harry with mild surprise, "... Hey?"

Daxter, not really caring for Harry sudden appearance, pulled on Jak's ear angrily shaking his tail in his other hand. "It wasn't funny! My poor tail!"

If the burning in his chest hadn't become almost painful, Harry would have laughed at the look Jak tossed the ottsel. He rubbed his chest subconsciously as Jak tugged his ear out of Daxter's hand rubbing it with a look of mild irritation. "Who is closest for a mission?"

"The Hip Hog." Daxter told them stroking his burnt tail with a quivering bottom lip.

"Then we're going to see Kre-" Started Jak.

"Gettin' lazy Jak?" Harry asked with a smirk, but before Jak was able to retort or toss more than a heated glare - the burn in Harry's chest turned into full blown knock-you-off-your-feet-pain.

"Harry!"

For a brief second fear crawled into his chest as he fell to his knees. He thought, mortified, he was slipping again. It was just as it had always been moments before he blacked out and woke up in a pool of his own or someone else's blood. The fire that roared over his skin and the concrete that threatened to drown him. He clawed at his throat as lava seemed to spill into his mouth searing his tongue and melting his teeth. Gasping for air he stared down at the substance that left his mouth, feeling Jak's hand on his shoulder to steady him.

It was blood or... maybe it had been blood at one time. The violet sheen and thick consistency that always reminded him of liquid dark stared back at him.

"Damn..." muttered Daxter.

"I knew it," Jak mumbled closing his eyes as if he, himself, was in pain.

"Human..." Harry breathed in his defense. He knew what he was looking at, but he didn't know why he was looking at it.

"You have dark eco poisoning..." The blonde seventeen year old admitted, "just like I do."

"How is that possible?" Harry choked out chin dipped to his chest. He had never heard of dark eco poisoning, but he assumed it was something caused by the substance. Harry had never had contact with it - green eco sent him to the ground. When Jak had too much dark eco in his system he couldn't go near the elf, how could he have gotten poisoning from it?

Daxter cast his anxiously towards Jak pursing his lips almost expectantly. They exchanged a brief look and Jak took in a deep breath, pulling Harry back to his feet. "In the Pumping Station..."

Harry turned his eyes sharply toward Jak. He had been waiting weeks to hear the truth about what happened. He had been begging the two help him understand what happened after he black out - what the flashes meant. Jak stared at the ground for a long time, twisting his lips as if he was debating with himself to finally admit what he had been keeping to himself this entire time.

"I don't know how you got back up the cliff, but..." he hooded his eyes, "you were something else."

The human thinned his lips narrowing his eyes on Jak skeptically. "... I was given enhancers, Jak..."

"No, Wolfie, that's not what he means..." Daxter added slowly.

"Then what?" Harry demanded angrily.

"... You were like me the night we escaped."

For a moment Harry stared at Jak disbelieving, but somewhere... he knew. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had recognized the pale skin. Closing his eyes he asked tiredly. "... Dark eco poisoning... It will kill us, won't it?"

Jak nodded slowly, "I don't know how long it will take... But it will kill us eventually."

Harry noted the flash of anger that crossed Daxter's face as his hands clenched at his sides bitterly. Did the ottsel know about this before? He glanced between them briefly, but Jak had taken to staring at the city in the distance, eyes narrowing on the pillar that struck in the middle of it.

He had always known that this city was going to be the death of them. In one way or another... But he now understood why Jak was so eager to get things done. He had a time limit that Harry didn't know existed till now. A time limit he now shared. He now knew why Jak was so reckless.

Dead men, after all, have nothing to lose.

Semi-Automatic


	22. Underage Drinking

**Faithless: **Thank you to the three that reviewed last chapter, the favorites by Black and White Wolf, and all those lurkers that read as well : ) Sorry about another fillerish chapter, but the next one has a LOT in it. To make the story flow better together I didn't want to have a bunch of jumpy chapters. And there are mistakes, I know, I tried to catch most of them but I lost my Microsoft Word again.

_**Parelthon**_ updated for all those who care to take a look.

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Semi-Automatic

Part Three: Dead Mean

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**Chapter Twenty-Two: **_Underage Drinking _

The topic of dark eco poisoning had dropped almost as instantly as it had been brought up. There was no use dwelling on it and he wasn't going to let himself get careless because of it. Jak had hesitantly started to explain the stages of the illness of after Harry had made the incredible mistake of asking. Harry had stopped him half way through the 'liquefaction of internal organs' stage. It was in that moment that the young wizard realized he was not a man that wanted to know how he was going to die. Be it because his death involved his insides melting or not, he wasn't able to tell. After all, he reasoned with himself, he wasn't suddenly dying of the disease – he had been for awhile; he was just slow on the uptake.

Daxter, uncharacteristically silent, took keen interest in a fish market they passed once back in South Town. The ottsel was someone who was blatant about their opinion, no matter the trouble that opinion caused. God only knew how much his loud mouth had nearly gotten them killed, but it seemed that this was one topic that he didn't have a comment on... and for once, Harry was starting to see the reason Jak was so close with Daxter. When he did talk, he didn't mention the dark eco, he just went on about something else... and Harry was glad for the distraction. He prattled on about fish; how bad it was, something called a 'Lurker,' and tossed out a name of a man that owned a fishery in South Town called Brutter who had a really bad haircut that looked like a fake toupee.

Once inside the Hip Hog Jak was the first to spot Krew, jerking his head upward in the direction of the trophy case that was displayed over the bar. The morbidly obese man was admiring the long row of assorted racing trophies that Harry doubted he won himself. The crime lord was a betting man, not the type to risk his own neck.

"I have a proposition for you Jak," started the man calmly without looking down towards the trio, "racing is the biggest sport in the city, you see." He motioned with his fan to the case as if the amount of trophies he owned was a testament to the fact.

"What makes you think I want to race?" Jak asked tiredly raising an eyebrow to him. Daxter canted his head to the side studying Jak for a moment. Harry had to admit he was a little confused by the hostility that the elf suddenly had. If there was one thing the human knew about his companion it was that he loved to race. He wore the same look that Harry had when he was back home riding a broom on the Quidditch field

"I have heard that you have excellent vehicle skills," explained Krew ignoring the obvious disdain in Jak's voice, "Errol is the undisputed grand champion. He's crazy and dangerous on the track. Ha ha, my kind of guy." The man chortled casting his eyes to the side. "Only a fool would dare race against him."

... _And he had to throw out _that _name. _Harry, pressing a hand to his face, groaned. He doubted that Krew realized that what he said next didn't matter. He and Daxter shared a look before looking to Jak. The teen was instantly agitated with a low growl that escaped his throat. It was so low that almost didn't sound human. He clenched his hands tightly at his side before crossing them over his chest to cover the fact he gripped onto his tunic at the sides to keep his anger down. He waited for the man to continue with hardened eyes. To anyone who didn't know Jak, they would assume that Krew had just lost the teen's acceptance of the deal then and there. Harry and Daxter knew better. No, it didn't matter what Krew said next, Jak would take the deal just to have the chance to take something away from Errol.

"A client of mine is looking for a fast driver for her racing team. Here are two security passes to get you into the Stadium section," he motioned to the table where two green passes sat before tossing a large stack of papers dismissively to the side, "And your contract with a just a few trifles for me. I've, ah, already signed your name to save time."

Jak, not caring much for the contract, grabbed the pass off the counter examining it. Harry was silently glad to have his own pass finally. He had been fine riding around the Slums without Jak, but if he wanted to head into South Town he had to be with the elf to get past the security force fields. Jak slid the green pass into the small device that held all three. Even though he had green pass, it was an upscale pass allowing his access to all the zones.

He hadn't noticed that Daxter had gone behind the counter and collected the contract up until the ottsel started to read aloud from the bar.

"We, the racers, hereby agree to give Krew proceeds from race earnings, endorsement fees, broadcast royalties, syndication residuals, vehicle sponsorships, mall appearance fees, collectable card assets, fast-food tie-ins, use of likeness rights, talk show deals, clothing lines, all print rights, including book, novella, comic, pamphlet, tickertape, neon signs, and bathroom graffiti designs," He took in a gust of breath as Harry and Jak were teetering on edge of the long list.

"toy rights, shoe lines, mood rings, game rights," he paused, "_game rights?_! Vitamin endorsements, city kickbacks, movie deals, and of course all death and dismemberment accident insurance claims..." He trailed of frowning at the long list, not liking the sound of the last part.

Krew only shrugged as if was nothing more than business hazard as he caught the glare Jak tossed his way, not particularly liking the last part either.

"Suddenly," Harry commented taking the contract from Daxter, "it's not so bad to be me anymore." He could make out more than half of it on first glance, but some required him to go over twice to get the right word. The list was long, longer than Daxter had read out. The word 'death rate' caught his eye near the bottom in small print when Krew let out a snort.

"... We can work out the tiny details later," he waved dismissively, "if you can get from here to the race garage near the Stadium in less than three minutes, my client said she'd consider letting you drive for her team – make me proud, mmm!"

It seemed it was only when Harry pointed out the paragraph at the bottom that Jak seemed to realize what he had just agreed to. "... Remind me why we do this again?" He asked scanning the dashboard of the zoomer parked beside the entrance of the bar. Harry only shrugged in response; he wasn't so certain at this point.

"Well," Daxter surmised rubbing his chin, "because you agreed to work for him. You get weapons, information on the city, and blow shit up?" He grinned lightly at the last one.

Harry couldn't help but laugh as Jak nodded matter-of-factly. His eyes landed on a discarded zoomer parked further down the boardwalk. A somewhat crazy idea hit him. He hitched his thumb over his shoulder. "Twenty orbs to who gets there first?" He had two weeks' worth of experience with zoomer and that was nothing to Jak's talent with them, but he wanted to make this a little more interesting. Hell, if he won, he could shove it in the blonde's face for every comment he made about his lack lustre driving.

Jak cast him a surprised look as Daxter groaned at the idea. "Oh Precursors Harry, seriously?"

Flicking his eyes between the zoomer and Harry Jak barely considered the idea before a grin bloomed across his lips. "You're on."

_

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_

Semi-Automatic

There were no boarders to the race and no means of rules. The winner was whoever got to the garage before the other and in the allotted three minutes that Jak's zoomer gave them. The Yellow District, also known as Upper Haven, was far better built and cleaner than both the Slums and even South Town. The airway was clogged with heavy traffic, littered with billboards, and the builds were far closer to each other and towered over the sector. Another thing that threw Harry was the how many cords were strung along the passage ways. Jak, weaving easily, seemed to want to test how good Harry had gotten with zoomers. He had stayed only seconds behind Jak the entire time. The moment that he disappeared into the channel that cut through the district, the sixteen year old hesitated to follow. The channel was tight and had wicked curves with very little room to break. It wasn't meant to be raced through, but Jak didn't seem to care. Even he was sliding into his turns before taking off down the wending open channel.

It was on one of the 'L' shaped turns that Harry was soaked by a wave of water that the elf had sent his way. He narrowed his eyes on the Invisrin who grinned maliciously and sped off through an enclosed tunnel; Daxter screaming the entire way.

Pushing his zoomer dangerously close to the limit, Harry shot through the tunnel and up the ramp seconds after Jak. Even if he lost him during the race, he just needed to follow the screaming civilians. The archway leading to the Stadium was clearly marked as that. Flickering posters, holo-posters, displayed a different style of zoomer with a three printed behind it and the P.A loud speakers were spouting about the upcoming race and ticket sales. In the traffic Harry spotted a flash of blue and yellow drop out to the second hover zone as it sliced towards the arch.

Dropping to the same hover zone Harry was glad to find even the upper class of Haven knew to get the hell out of the way when a zoomer was coming at you. He skin into his turn, sliding a few more inches than Jak, and flew over the stairs in a burst of speed. He soared out into the less crowded, and much larger, Stadium Plaza. Glancing behind him he saw the slightly sour expression on Jak's face as he braked on his right side. The teen was sore about losing, but looked impressed with the fact Harry had improved so quickly in two weeks.

Harry held out his hand expectantly as Jak begrudgingly dug into his money pouch to produce the credit chips.

"Good doing business with you," he remarked with a wink packing them away, "you just paid for my Talkbox."

Dax, who had finally found his voice again, had to peel himself off Jak's shoulder plate sliding down his chest to flop over the handle bars of the zoomer looking a bit green. "Precursors! You two bring a whole new meaning to road rage!"

"You've said that before..." Jak muttered looking down at the stretched ottsel amused.

"And I'll say it again!" the ottsel told him firmly with a nod, giving Jak a jack rabbit kick with his back leg in the stomach.

Harry leaned back in the seat of his zoomer laughing at the mock betrayed look on Jak's face and the triumphant grin on Daxter's. He hadn't exactly expected Jak, who had dismounted, to walk over and nearly clothes line him off his own zoomer. The only reason he was still standing was because he had latched onto the youth's arm as he was dragged back over the end of the thing. Jak, completely innocent to the act, merely walked towards the garage Daxter nearly killing himself with laughter.

The garage was a simple layout, something you'd expect to find. A work bench with a dismantled zoomer on it, one hanging from metal bearings in the corner, and tools littered across the floor with pieces of machinery half made spread on shelves. He did take notice of large amount of trophies the woman had either won or her team had. Only one bronze and silver seat near the bottom the rest were gold.

"Hello?" Jak called out searching for the mechanic, "Krew said someone was looking for a race driver?"

"I'm busy right now!" A female voice called back from behind a moth eaten green curtain stained with grease and oil. Neither had noticed had the very feminine figure highlighted by a back light. "You much be Krew's new errand boys... Look, I don't mean to be rude... You did get here fast – but I'm not interest in any new drives right now. I've got wore to do." Her voice held a clearly dismissive tone, silently demanding they leave her be.

Jak didn't seem to get that part. He leaned against the bench surveying the garage with a slight bit more interest than he had walking in. "Is there anything we can do?"

To admit that Harry wasn't as gobsmacked as Daxter looked would be a lie. The shadowed outline of the woman showed all the right curves, yes, and he'd be a liar if he didn't say his eyes stayed on her a bit longer than they should have, but it was amazing how drastic the change in Jak was. It was almost amusing to see how easily Jak had been taken by the mechanic when the seventeen year old barely spared a glance at half the very well endowed woman in the Underground or street.

"No – I, um, I'm working on a secret... Vehicle project..." She stumbled nervously trying to hide the larger shadow behind her thin frame. Harry raised an eyebrow suddenly very curious about the block like shadow she was trying to hide so desperately.

"Okay, sorry." Jak's tone changed dramatically growing frustrated with the less than cooperative mechanic.

Daxter smacked his forehead with his palm shaking his head disappointed in Jak's tactics muttering. "Nice one, Jakky-boy. You're a hit."

The outline of the young woman turned to face them briefly, then let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, if you got the guts to race in this town, try taking my prototype Jet Board out on the Stadium Course."

Harry had the distinct feeling he was missing something as identical grins crossed over Jak and Daxter's faces at the mention of a 'Jet Board.' He had absolutely no idea what she was talking about; he knew a lot about weapon machinery from the classes in Invisera... But they didn't happen to have a course on 'entertainment.' He chalked it up to one of those things he was just suppose to know but didn't.

"Beat the challenge and maybe I'll consider you for my team." She said leaning against the bar of the machine she had been trying to hide. Harry was right, the woman had all the right curves, and even he had to turn away feeling the slight heat on his cheeks. Jak was completely catatonic. Daxter, waving his hand in front of the elf's face, rolled his eyes with a snort. Frankly, he was slightly surprised Dax didn't jump at the chance to _attempt _to pick the mechanic up with some cheesy line.

"C'mon Casanova," Harry muttered pulling the hormonal seventeen year old out of the garage by the collar.

Daxter, chuckling, pointed them to the Stadium entrance. "Way to crash and burn, bud." He ribbed Jak who came out of daze almost embarrassed. He cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair tossing them a sheepish grin.

Oh, Harry was going to use this. "What's a Jet Board?" He ventured eying the course as he walked down the ramp. The huge arena, bleachers lining the room, was filled with rails, pikes, and even metal circles that were set on fire. Small yellow orb like machines at odd intervals on the course, leaving a track like design to follow.

"That, my dear Wolife, is a Jet Board." Daxter announced proudly pointing to a compact disc like device held up in a rack. Jak didn't hesitate to pull it out and simply let it fall to the ground. Harry winced, not knowing how the mechanic would take to breaking it, but it stopped inches above the ground. It clicked and separated to twice its size.

"So," Harry concluded, "basically a skateboard."

_Semi-Automatic_

"We beat the challenge." Jak stated triumphantly, a proud smirk on his lips as he narrowed his eyes on the shadow behind the curtain. It was more than obvious that he was trying to impress her... and he was failing at it.

"Great... People do get lucky." The mechanic growled acerbically. "Listen... Don't you have someone to collect money from, or beat up, or something?"

Harry ventured on a question he already knew the answer to. "You don't like us do you?"

"You work for that slime ball Krew... What's not to like?" She answered him sarcastically.

Tensing his shoulders Harry let out a low growl, eyes flashing furiously. Jak, placing a restraining hand on his chest, glanced towards the trophy case. "Looks like you've one a few races," he commented silently giving Harry a warning look. The teen snorted at him raising his hands in the air and turned away from the situation. He had enough of the mechanic really. "Isn't it true that the city champion gets to tour the Palace?"

"Yeah... why?"

"Could you get us into the Palace?" He finished.

She scoffed. "A friendly visit I gather?"

"Yeah... We're real fans of the Baron." Jak bit out, barely holding back his tone.

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips. "Okay, I'll help you out if you stop bothering me! I saw an old maintenance elevator in one of the Palace Support Towers. That old lift should take you up to the Palace. If you can fine a way to turn on the elevator's power."

The ideal person to do just that crossed Harry's mind almost instantly. "Thanks," with that he grabbed Jak's arm and pulled him from the garage and the mechanic he was so taken with. Once outside he turned on the elf slamming his fist into his hand.

"Vin can -"

Jak's Talkbox abruptly cut him off. _"Jak, I have a misson for you and Harry. Get back to the Hip Hog." _Demanded the greedy voice of Krew.

Harry tossed the thing a annoyed look as Jak answered sharply. "Fine, we're coming... This better be good..." He muttered to himself, Harry nodding in agreement with a scowl. Krew had horrible timing.

_

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Semi-Automatic

The first thing that caught Harry's attention when he entered the Hip Hog for the second time that day was that the usually empty space behind the counter wasn't so empty. A familiar blonde was cleaning glasses behind the marble topped bar. She hummed to a tune he didn't know to herself with a content smile on her lips. He raised both eyebrows in surprise. He knew that most of the Underground had dual jobs, but he hadn't imagined her to work for a man like Krew. She seemed too... peppy.

"Hey sugarplum!" Daxter called out with a grin, "you new here? Well... Whatcha got that's hot and... wait..." His tone dropped, "I've seen you before. You're with the Underground-" Almost immediately Tess pressed two fingers against Daxter's lips to stop him.

"Ssshhh! I'm Tess – Torn sent me here to spy on Krew. Play along and I may be able to get my hands on a few of his secrets."

Jak and Harry approached the counter and took seats on either side of the ottsel. Harry nodded to her as she gave him a welcoming smile.

"Oooohh... I love 'undercover' work baby! But ah, two can work better than one. Lemme help you out." He jumped down behind the bar and started throwing bottles everywhere. "Wow! There sure are a lot of bottles back here!"

Jak crossed his arms over his chest shaking his head as Harry leaned on the counter. For a couple of moments the three listened to Daxter throw around possibly very expensive merchandise. Jak cast Tess an apologetic look, but the woman merely waved it off. Obviously Daxter was destroying anything too important.

Suddenly bottles stopped flying as the Daxter started to chug half the bottles. "Ooh, that's, Oh that, that goes down ahh... Ooh boy..." Jak and Harry were laughing silently as Daxter uncorked more drinks and made the contents disappear. "Gee, ya 'spose that's real gold floatin' in there? How about this purple stuff? WHEW!..." Daxter continued muttering incoherently to himself as Krew floated up.

"Jak, I need you to go around and make a few collections for me." He was cut off by a very drunk Daxter popping up from behind the bar.

"Hey five chins... how's crimes?" He asked, hiccuping.

Harry had to look away covering his mouth to hide his mirth.

"What's his problem, 'ey!" Krew asked Jak. Neither of them had a chance to answer, for Daxter pulled himself onto the bar.

"Nothin'... I'm just fine... mind your own business..." He fell onto his back. "I sometimes feel so very..."

Krew pulled their attention away from the singing rat. "Listen, I have six clients around town who are about to make money drops for me. I need you to collect each money bag as fast as you can and 'take care' of any guards who get curious, mmmmm. Get a moneybag to late and some townie may pick it up." He was interrupted again by Daxter, who had miraculously sat himself up.

"Feeling so DRRYYY!... Ya know what's da trouble with you Krew? You got no vision... This place could be a real swingn' joint... Hop Heg Hiven with more dancin', more mac'n, more WOMEN!"

"Just collect all the bags before they disappear and bring them to back here. If you lose even one bag, then don't come back, 'ey!"

While he was saying this, Dax was trying to kiss Jak through his hand. Finally, he made a smacking noise and draped himself over Jak's shoulder, saying "I love you man!"

Harry could barely contain himself from the look on Jak's face while the drunken rodent was trying to make out with him. He pushed Daxter in the stomach and he fell back laughing incoherently and giggling. "Alright, no alcohol for you..." Stated Jak getting up from the chair and looking to Harry.

He shrugged his shoulder. "I'll stay here. Have a drink."

The blond clicked his tongue. "Now Harry, you are under age."

Jak received a rude hand gesture from the black haired teen as he made his way out of the bar. "So are you."

The door slid shut as he turned back to Tess and the drunken ottsel still muttering into the counter. She raised a blond eyebrow as she handed him a glass. "How old are you two?"

Harry looked at the purple liquid and downed it. The burning sensation in his throat suggested that it was alcoholic, and tasted pretty damn good. "Does it really matter?" He questioned placing the glass down.

"No..." She started. "But I pegged you two for eighteen or nineteen."

"I am!" suddenly yelled Daxter before falling over again. Harry asked quietly if Tess had any ice water to throw on him. The two watched Daxter crawl along the table with a purpose to poke his reflection in Harry's glass.


	23. Come Hell or High Water

**Faithless: **... Sorry for the lack of updating, but I had a death in the family and I just couldn't sit down to write this. Been awhile since I have written, but I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't ever leave this dead.

Be prepared for a massive update. _Massive _update.

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Semi-Automatic

Part Three: Dead Men

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**Chapter Twenty-Three: **_Come Hell or High Water _

_"Bollocks," _the breath hissed from his lungs, fingers curling in on themselves protectively. His head was spinning as he tore off the glove and forced his burning fingers into his mouth. Green eyes sent a heated look down to the bag strapped to his waist. He had completely forgotten the gems nestled amongest the contents of his pack. Sucking on the raw tips of his fingers he swore muffled curses into his discoloured skin. He berated himself for forgetting and debated what to do about it. The gems were meant for the Shadow and he was nearly two hours late in returning them to the base. He doubted he would have a _welcoming _return when he got back. Torn would no doubtably lay into him heavily for it. Before he had even concieved the idea of leaving the base, Torn had made a point of stressing the importance of this mission to the Shadow and his experiments with green eco. Frankly, the words 'experiment' and 'eco' sat sourly with Harry the moment he had heard them. The Shadow could wait for the crystals, his _experiments _could wait.

Entering the Power Station the engineer rushed by them without a word. He eyes were dead set on a control panel while his mouth twisted in the all too familiar panic and stress he wore like the clothes on his back. Jak, however, couldn't wait for the tightly wound elf to notice them. He cleared his throat, plastered a fake grin on his face, and stepped forward into the light of the tesla coil above their heads. "Vin, buddy, we need a favor."

"I can't help you with your eco bill," he told him barely sparing a glance.

"_Eco b-_" Harry repressed the urge to smirk. If only it were that simple. "No - we need to turn on the maintenance elevator in one of the Palace support towers."

The sixteen year old watched as the elder man spun himself with such force Harry wondered if he had given himself whiplash. Absolute disbelief and traces of confusion broke out on his face as he tried to comprehend the reason why. "Sheesh, that's part of the old B-Zone Power Grid! It hasn't worked for years!" he jerked his thumb up towards the ball engulfed in blue eco. The electric-like coils sparking out against the steel ring. "Not since we upgraded."

Jak suddenly sighed and hung his head as if he had expected this the entire time. Harry and Daxter watched him intently while he turned to take interest in a large computer screen. "Well," he surmised with a hint of disappointment, "if you can't do it. We understand." He ran a pale hand across the flashing screen, winking to the two with a smirk twitching at the corner of his mouth. Both realized in that moment what Jak was doing. Daxter cleared his throat, turning away to hide the smirk he couldn't stop. Harry simply stared at Vin wondering if the man was egotiscal enough to take the bait.

"Power stuff can be tricky." Jak finished squinting at the monitor as he tried to read the sprawling text and numbers.

The surprise bled into insult as Vin whirled on his heels muttering under his breath bitterly. "Tricky?"

Cracking his knuckles, Vin wrenched open the dor to tha A-grav lift while his hand flew over a keyboard beside it. The screens clicked, whirred, and emitted mild sonic screeches that had Harry's eyes watering and right eye twitch. "I could route the B-Zone conduit lines through the bypass grid, shunting past the eco rings to connect the inductor tubes in series, then back through the outer wall insulator helix and across the resonant flux routers into the number five compaciter array." He flew over their heads in the lift, elliciting a small shout from Daxter.

Harry let out a laugh, turning to face the grinning seventeen year old. "What monster have you set loose, Jak?"

"Assuming the circuits in the GX75B can handle the surge, I could link the phase loop lines into the primary coils and presto, you've got instant lift juice!" He landed in front of them, looking pleased with himself, daring them to question his ability.

"Vin... Your a genius!" Jak stated with a wide grin, eyes flashing with hidden anticipation.

"Ah," Harry could have sworn the man seemed embarassed, "actually, Mar was the genius. People say he made most of this long ago. The Shield Wall System and The Eco Grid." He admitted before shaking himself straight, getting to the point. "Anyway, to get the elevator moving - you need to find and turn on all the old B-Zone power boxes located in the city. There are five of 'em." Vin told them seriously.

"Well.. That doesn't sound too hard..." Daxter surmised with a light frown.

It truly didn't, but Vin scowled at him slightly. "No. Except the boxes are protected by motion sensing turbo cannons." He told them leaning over the side of the lift using his fingers to demonstrate.

Harry didn't feel any of the trepidition that Daxter was showing as he swallowed thickly. "Yeah... Turbo cannons... No prob..."

"If," Vin went on, "you can get tal all five of 'em, destory the cannons, and turn them on. I can do the rest - just don't tell the Baron I ever saw you!" He waved his hands as menacingly as he could, but the plea still thick in his voice.

_Semi-Automatic _

The cannons had been one of the easiest, but annoying, things that Harry and Jak had the pleasure of doing. The problem wasn't destroying the cannones themselves, they had been rather fragile. Taken out by aiming a zoomer at the right spot and shattering like glass on impact. There was barely a decent explosion. Just a puff of smoke, surges of sparse electricty and leaking yellow eco. No, the problem came from the guards. It wasn't the most organized assualt, but what it lacked in quality, it made up in _quanity. _It turned, very quickly, into a complete mess. The sheer numbers had forced Harry to remain in the zoomer, feet planted, firing off into the crowd hoping to scatter the civillians and keep the guards at bay while Jak flipped the switch.

Daxter, more often than not, was the one to scramble under the zoomer while Jak and Harry fired like maniacs from the bullet-riddle zoomer. The ottsel had ducked, twisted, and literally _crawled _over the guards at one point to get the final switch.

Now, standing on a metal precipice hundreds of miles above the metropolis, Harry could feel apprehension swell with the excitment and thrill that bubbled in his chest. The wind howled dangerously, causing the tower to sway to the left with a heavy heave of the steel supports. The wizard had seen the city from the cliff near the Precursor Temple, but it was a different experience being inside the city. It was oddly serene to look at, but if you had experienced Haven City the way they had - you could taste the corruption in the air. A three-sixty view of the city showed howdifferent it was from anything in his world.

_I'm in another world._

For the first time Harry mind seized the thought and wrestled with it. His hand clenched the fabric over his chest, balling the material in a fist. His fingers were used to the feel of the material, but if he really thought about it - even that was foriegn to him.

_I'm going to die in another world. _

Jak stood a few feet ahead of him on the platform. His glacial eyes narrowing on the distant Palace before them. A spire supporting a large circular disc with a small city built on top of it. Spiked, bent, and glass buildings spinning over Haven at a agonizingly slow pace. At one time, Harry had been told, it was meant to be a beacon of some sort. To show the Havenites that someone was always looking after them. Now, however, it was like a testiment to everything that was wrong with this city. A dark, jagged spike to the heart of what this place had been.

Harry didn't know what that was; he didn't care to know.

"Jak," he called out against the wind. The seventeen year old didn't turn to face him, he didn't need to. His shoulders tensed slightly, Daxter gripping tightly to the armour. He cast his eyes to the friend he had lost two years ago, his small face spiraling with hidden emotions. It was like he understood what Harry had poured into that one word.

Not that Harry didn't understand, but sometimes Jak didn't look past his revenge. The human knew this and despite it, he could follow him without question. Yet, for the first time, he wondered if Jak fully understood the severity of what they were doing. That there was a real possibility that they could die in there - that they could end up back in the prison. This was, in every way, a sucide mission. Harry could see that, but sometimes Jak willfully ignored it. He couldn't see a future for himself in this place. He wondered if Jak thought the same way. If Daxter, too, understood and made

peace with whatever gods he had.

His answer came when Jak's shoulders relaxed, the grim line of his mouth loosened, and he turned to face Harry. For a moment blue met green and Harry could see the determination, the realization, and the acceptance. "I get if you want to turn back - You've still got Neverous to deal with, yah?"

Jak's body language faultered, vunerability exposed for a split second. His mouth twisted as if to speak, as if to say that it was fine if he didn't want to come, but the words seem to fail in his throat. He would never admit it simply because Harry knew it. He was afraid that Harry _would _turn back and leave him to his own. Jak could handle himself, but despite himself, he wanted Harry there beside him in this fight. Daxter was there, Daxter would always be there, but for this - he needed both of them there. He cut his teeth together sharply, his eyes never leaving the boy behind him.

A spiteful smirk tugged at the corner of Harry's scarred lips.

Backing out would have been the smart thing to do. That would have been the right, rational, and obvious choice. Two teenagers, genetically altered or not, and a rat stood no chance of survival. The odds dipped heavily in the favor of the other man.

Harry snorted, showing his hands in his pockets, and walking up to the edge beside Jak. "That's sweet, mate, but you're an idiot."

"How so?"

"Storming a K.G infested Palace lookin' to kill the bloody ruler of the city just two kids and their pet?" Daxter tossed him a half-hearted glare, "no why in hell am I missing _that._"

Harry had never been one to listen to the odds.

_Semi-Automatic_

The cord extended halfway across the city, swinging heavily with the wind. A wind that picked up and carried ice rain on it. It hit them like razor blades on exposed skin, but not even Daxter was complaining at this point. They climbed across with numb fingers, sore thighs, and faces stinging from the hail. Death, it seemed, was on every inch of the cord. Electro-charged battery platforms that took energy in from the sun, two rapid fire turrets, and support platforms that consitantly fell out from under their weight.

He was never more glad to feel solid metal under his feet than he was when they climbed over the concrete ledge. His heart, admittedly, was still beating violently from the far too close call near the end. His weight had broke the already weak and rusted panel and for a good give seconds, he thought he was done. Jak's hand had caught his thigh holster a fraction of a second before he would have plumited down into the farms below.

The relief was thick in all three of them, but it was quickly replaced with urgency. They were standing in the Palace now. The point of no return. There was no going back from here.

Harry had broken the panel, anyway.

Jak gestured for Harry to follow him over to a large skylight. Following closely behind, they both froze at the sight below. He didn't honestly think it would be as easy as picking a window to look into and yet... apparently it was. It was rather anti-climatic, but he wasn't going to complain.

The blonde climbed the wet glass to sit at the top hidden by the large flat metal beams that supported the glass. Harry stayed near the bottom, he had had enough of heights for one day.

Baron Praxis was standing in front of his large thrown while the Commander of the Krimzon Guard stood behind him an a large holographic image of a monster Harry had never seen before. Even in his most twisted dreams, he could have never thought up a creature like it. He stole a glance up to Jak, expecting the elf to know, but he only shook his head as bewildered as he was.

"I told you," Praxis ground out breaking the silence, "I will have more eco by week's end. We'll transport it directly to your nest as promised." his was deep and grated. It was the voice of a man barely keeping his temper at rest. Harry had seen the Baron's temper before, it was worse than rampaging Metal Heads. His red eyes glowered at the image while his hand twitched with the urge to take his sword in hand.

The blue-tinted face of the creature broke into a parody of a sordid smile. "A deal is of no value if you can not deliever my dear Baron." The creature's voice was distinctly male, but held an unearthly tone that Harry wasn't going to forget soon. It was gruttal and dangerous, but sentient and mocking. "I grow impatient with your puny gestures," he snorted anger rising slightly, "give me the agreed upon eco soon, or the deal is off, and your precious city will pay the price!" With that warning boomed through the hall, the image snapped out.

"He's toying with us!" Errol growled infuriated.

Praxis cast his eyes to the shorter man tiredly.

"Let me lead an assault on the Nest before it's too late. I can take him -" He started, but Praxis cut him off abruptly.

"Patience, Commander. No one has ever penetrated the Metal Head Nest, you know that. I've seen what comes of such foolish plans." He ran his large fingers across the metal pressed against his

skin. Errol, for a moment, paused to consider what the man had said before growing annoyed with the answer.

"No. Strength is their weakness... We play helpless, train them to eat from our hands, and then..." he turned to face Errol with a renewed sense of power, "move forward with the plan! Tell Ashelin to up her patrols - I want that tomb found!"

"Your _daughter _hasn't been..." The man paused casting his eyes to the side as if searching for the right word. "Agreeable."

Annoyance found its way onto the elder man's face as he rumbled. "I'll see to that problem one way or another."

Harry's mind reeled for a moment as he took the time to comprehend what Errol had just revealed. The scowl on Jak's face told him he was furious. They had saved Ashelin's life - she had seen

Harry transform... Did that mean that the Baron knew? No. That wasn't possible. They wouldnt' still have the realtive freedom of movement if he knew.

He found himself suddenly smiling at the idea. It wasn't that Ashelin was the Baron's daughter, it was the fact that Baron's _daughter _was working for the Underground.

Talk about dysfunctional families.

"And find that child!" The Baron boomed with aggravation below them, "If you spent half as much time looking for little brat as you did flirting with that mechanic girl, we would've pinned his royal ass to the wall long ago!"

Errol rolled his eyes, but eventually dipped his chin saying. "As you wish," he raised his eyes to the southern window, "I'm sure with enough persuasion, our spy will -"

Harry nearly leapt out of his skin as a loud sneeze erupted from somewhere above him, cutting the Commander off. He threw himself to the side, concealing himself behind the metal banister. He rolled onto his side, not knowing if Jak hadn't gotten out of the way in time. He saw the elf laying supone on the support beam, Daxter clenched to his chest, and a hand over his mouth.

_Of course... _The human thought bitterly. For nearly twenty minutes they didn't move, they barely dared to breathe. Once the thrown room had cleared, Jak slid down the wet glass and rejoined Harry at the bottom. Daxter tossed them a apologetic grin. "heh... well, Red definately gets her looks from her mother."

"At least," Jak interrupted folding his arms over his chest, "we know both of them are in there. There should be some sortive elevator into the Palace from here."

Harry nodded in agreement, this place was litered with access panels. Jak was in the process of dismantling a fusebox to allow them down when a low, deep humming picked at the fringes of Harry's hearing. Jak, too far to the right to hear it, continued to pick at the wires while Harry intently listened. He knew that sound, he had heard it before.

"Shit..." He lunged forward, taking Jak's shoulders by surprise, and toss him behind a ledge. His back was flooded with light, spinning he narrowed his eyes on a assualt robot - Baron Praxis at the

centre.

"ahah, look what we have here," his voice called out against the heavy rain, "come to make good on our deal, Mr. Potter?"

Harry's teeth clenched together, his hand twitching towards his gun. Before he was even able to graze the gun with his fingertips, a yellow bullet exploded at his side. "Like hell, Praxis!" He shouted out.

Another bout of deep laughter erupted from the cockpit of the machine. "Oh, how your tune has changed, Harry!"

While Praxis mocked him, the soldier inside Harry was assessing the machine before him. The iridescent film that envolped the machine was a high volicity shield. It would make shooting at the hull of the thing useless. The eco would absorb the bullet and relay the power through to the guns. Harry, unfortunately, had missed the lesson on how to defeat them as he was laying in a eco injector.

"The offer still stands, Harry. You agreed to work for me once. I could use your talents."

He opened his mouth to protest the same moment he caught white ontop of the red hull. Jak, full transformed, was crawling up the backside of the machine. Daxter was holding on for dear life, but grinning all the same. He waved his hands widly for Harry to keep Praxis's attention.

"The person who agreed to that died, Praxis. If you don't remember," his eyes narrowed on the large man inside the robot. He snorted, unimpressed with the answer.

"How poetic of you, fine." He sighed as if disappointed. "You and Jak had promise, but I suppose monster don't understand the concept."

Harry felt anger boil in his chest, threatening to overflow the moment that Jak had reached the top of the glass parition. From everything that would happen that night, Harry would always remember the Baron's face. The sheer surprise and horror as the demonic like infused elf appeared hanging upside with that horrific grin on his face. Harry felt a grin cross his face as the Baron jerked back on the controls as Jak broke through the class. His claws inches from taking the remaining bits of Praxis's face.

In dodging the claws, his hand came down on the gun controls and sent the bot spinning into the second balcony - shattering a large electrical tower. Harry was sent running to dodge the eco bullet, the heavy rain slicking the already slippery concrete. He leapt the gap, forcing himself into a roll.

When he gathered himself, Harry saw the Baron firing off from a good distance away. The blue eco bombs targeting where Jak was standing. He dodged easily, his arm and face covered in blood.

"Jak!" He shouted.

The elf threw himself and Daxter to a wall, ordering Daxter off his shoulder and towards Harry in a silent motion. Just as the rodent leapt from his shoulder, Jak dashed forward jumping a small ledge to avoid another set of bombs.

Harry extended his arm almost on reflex to catch Daxter as he jumped upwards. "Jak says it's a Class C Bot - whatever the hell that means!"

That wasn't a class Harry had missed. Class C Assualt Bot used the same system to power both their shield and their weapons system. The singular power system was supplied by smaller electrical towers that sent out the extra volts through the cords hanging at the bottom of the machine. Once the shield and weapons expended, it needed to charge.

Dismantle the tower, knock out the power source.

Daxter gave a whine of terror as blue eco exploded feet from him, nearly dislodging Daxter from his shoulder with the blastwave. He tore open the hatch staring at the complex wiring for a moment. Daxter stood on his shoulder facing behind him, shouting out the distances of the bombs while Harry's attention was soley on the wires. He knew that he couldn't just rip out the cords and be done with it. That would cause the tower to blow up in both their faces. He ripped them according to color and size, painstaking, but the reward was worth it.

"HARRY!"

As he ripped out the final cord, a flash of blue cast his shadow on the machine. Something connected with his back and suddenly his world seemed dull. The rain at his feet was red, his arms and legs going numb.

Daxter was shouting something, but he couldn't make sense of it.

"... Arry!" Jak's muffled voice came from his side, a hand on his rapidly numbing arm to steady him.

The burning sensation of dark eco rushed to his back, pushing reality back into place. His eye burned, pupils slimming and his teeth feeling jagged across his lip. "Ju.. Just kill the bastard already..."

"Couldn't agree more."

When they reached the third balcony, neither could find a tower in sight. Red eco twisters spiraling towards them at alarming speeds. They ran in seperate direction, Harry nearly boardsided by one.

"It's useless!" Praxis laughed, their bullets having no effect.

Harry barely dodged another tornado, the violent storm of red eco ripping open his rucksack. The green stones were sent tumbling to the ground, a small metalic orb falling with them. Harry's eyes widened as he recognized the small device. Sweeping low, he grasped onto the device as he ran straight in front of the machine.

"Oi, metal face!"

The man glowered at him, his hand ready to fire.

"It may be useless, but I'm the one with the EMP," he grinned as he let the device fall from his hand, "I hope to got that thing can handle a two hundred foot fall."

His face fell the moment the orb hit the ground, a blue wave of energy exploding out into a concussive wave.


	24. The Race of the Guy Sitting Next to You

**Faithless:** Okay, when I said prepare for a massive update - I meant these chapters. Yes, it's not massive, but I'm giving you one a day for the next three days. They'll update later in the day - but expect one to be there. This is the only first person narrative of the three... just cause I can.

I also have completed a three chapter story called _'The Ending'_ go check it out - leave a review tell me if you want more. It's JD fiction.

For those reading _Parelthon_ - or have no idea what it is - it will update soon.

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Semi-Automatic

Part Three: Dead Men

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**Chapter Twenty-Four: **_The Race of the Guy Sitting Next to You_

The metal dented inward creating a shallow pit with traces of blood spattered across it. I wrenched my hand from the wall angrily, lips curling back over my teeth in a furious snarl. My chest pounded with fury as I tore off the tattered jacket and shirt. In a spur of uncontrolable anger, I lashed out at the dresser. The wood creaked under the stress of the hit, but I barely registered the pain that viberated up my calf.

In an attempt to calm myself, I stopped dead, took in a deep breath, and told my self to just breathe. Just focus on breathing. It was a simple, easy, relaxing task to concentrate on. It was vain at best.

I couldn't even beging to fathom what I was more furious about. The orders to remain inside the base for only Merlin knows how long or the fact that the Baron had released potentially dangerous information on me - Or maybe it was the fact the entire city know knew the only weakness I had. I wasn't some unstoppable force, I was weak to a element that this world and society was built on.

I was a liability.

A walking billboard screaming in bright neon lights _'I'm human! I know things - shoot me!' _

We had barely escaped the Palace with our lives and it had suddenly become far more difficult to keep them.

If I was to be dead honest, not a trait I'm known for, I had no idea what would happen when the sphere left my hand. I had expected a small release charge that would allow us moments to overwhelm a usless pile of metal. I didn't expect the charge to be on such a grand scale it shook the very Palace under our feet. The Baron's robot had disappeared beyond the ledge as Jak had grabbed my shoulder, pulling me from the ledge seconds before I was sent over. The wave was sent down the Palace spire and swallowed everything within a five hundred metre radius. As the city went dark, all hell broke loose.

_What did I do? _I thought inside the delrium, _what did I do? _

I wasn't excatly all together as we went sliding down the very vertical hatch into Upper Haven. I watched it all like a stop motion film. Cuttng in and out and missing large portions in between. I had practically fallen out of the hatch, tumbling after Jak to land in an exhausted heap at his feet. The screaming had amplified and was joined by blaring horns, breaking glass, and crying children. Hundreds of pairs of feet ran by me in motionless frames. As Jak pulled me to my feet I witnessed a woman trapped, screaming for help, under the burning wreckage of a powerless zoomer. Her face half burned, her right eye bleeding as if she was crying blood.

It was rather prophetic, in retrospect.

We had stayed near the railing of the water channel, Daxter riding low on my shoulder. He muttered incoherently as he watched a zoomer thrown clear through a shop window. A group of men raiding it for all it was worth. I had turned my eyes to inside the channel, half expecting to just see water, but found just as much chaos. Men and women thrashed helpless in the water, charred bodies and blackened zoomers used to support those still alive in the oil filled water.

The pulse had not only taken out the zoomers, but the Krimzon Guard's weapons aswell. The blackout had led way to a riot, the streets alive with shouting, fire, and fights breaking out with the overwhelmed guards unable to call for back up.

The Shield Wall, however, remained intact even if the city inside it had gone to hell. I knew, as Jak did, that we had needed to be out of Upper Haven and into the Slums before the power was restored. If Vin was working on it, it would happen sooner than later. A testimont to Vin's ability, the power came back on with a metal groan and quake that had nearly tossed both Jak and I off our feet. In a stroke of rare luck, the Krimzon Guard had been too preoccupied to deal with two seemingly harmless boys just trying to leave the sector.

"Shit..." Daxter mumbled, flattening his soaked fur. "What the hell was _that_? It was like the entire city fell a part!"

"Once they realized the guns were out, they jumped on the chance." Jak told him as we entered the base stairwell, a few members of the Underground had been waiting at the door nursing wounds from the riots that had broken out in the Slums. It had been, as we realized, a city wide event. Apparently the pulse had also effected the Power Station, knocking all of Haven City off the grid.

"Just shows how fragile the control really is." He added, knocked slighty when I had pushed off his shoulder using the wall for support. Jak was furious, that much was apparent. The Baron had escaped and we were still alive. Neither of those had been in the plan.

"Where the hell did you get that thing! You might have wanted to mention," Daxter threw up his arms, "I have this thing in my pocket that can take out the city in one swoop!"

"I never took time to see what was in the pack," I defended tiredly, "Tess gave it to me the first night we spent here."

Jak sighed, ruffling both his hands through his long mane of sopping wet hair. It send a cascade of droplets to the floor and my sleeve. "Next time we see Tess... Remind me to thank her."

I jerked my chind towards the door, both palms pressed flat against the wall as I tried to revive the feeling in my legs. "If we survive Torn."

"If," the blonde echoed, "we survive Torn."

"Ooooohhh shit." Dax hissed, seeming to just now remember that tattooed man he hated with a passion. There was no getting around it. Not with how we looked or that fact my back was blow wide open. I entertained the thought of saying we got caught in one of the riots, but then I would have to explain why we were at the epicentre of the pulse. The riot in the Slums had been violent, but nothing as violent for the three us to look like hell. With our track record and the fact that Torn wasn't a stupid man, it came back to us no matter how we spun it.

The Underground Commander was talking heatidly with Kor, the elderly man looking just as enthused as the solider. His arms were folded defensively over his schest, his walking can knocking against the table irritably. Torn snarled, motioning to the map between them. The green haired child that never left Kor's side sat uncomfortably on the table between them. His eyes large and very confused. Whatever the two had been discussing, he didn't understand a word of it.

The boy perked up upon seeing us, the look of odd relief crossing his face. Torn took notice of the boy's sudden change and whirled around to face us. It didn't take a genius to see that he was already in a mood and we had just walked into the heat of it tossing gasoline on it.

"The city is on high alert - What the _hell _did you three do?" He demanded casting one hand towards the ceiling. "Let me guess. You had something to with the blackout."

Daxter leapt from Jak's shoulder before he had a time to catch him. Both of us knew that whatever was about to come out of his mouth didn't stand a chance of helping, but hell.. Least he was entertaining, if not annoying.

"Who? us?" he asked incredously, "Nothing! We've been... ah... sightseeing, right Jak?" He looked back, waving his hand for Jak to support his half-baked story.

Torn, unimpressed, pulled an electronic bulletin pad out of his pocket. "Oh really?" He asked raising an disbelieving eyebrow. "The why are the Krimzon Guard looking for a... _'a dangerous young man with light hair, blue tunic, and a rabid orange rat on his shoulder?'_"

The kid proudly pointed to Daxter with a smile as if saying '_Hey, look! I found him!'_

Daxter, non-to-gently, shoved the kid's hand away. "Um, ah..." he stumbled, "that could be anyone! Orange is the new black this season!" He struck, what I assumed, was a fashion pose with a large, stupid grin on his face.

Yeah, even he knew were caught.

He acted as if Daxter hadn't spoke, his eyes straying to me as I used the bunk bed for support; refusing Jak's offered shoulder stubbornly. I felt the familiar sensation of having something on my face as Torn's eyes traveled to my forehead, looking for something. I automatically knew what he was looking for - and it was all to familiar for my tastes. I glared warningly, but the elder man simply turned back to the bulletin.

"I found this bit interesting..._ 'Often accompied by a human with dark hair and a oddly shaped lightening bolt scar on his foreahed. Prone to eco infused bullets.'" _

All eyes, in one fluid motion, sped to my forehead while I stared on without expression. Jak let out a groan, running a hand down his beaten face while Daxter slumped apologectically. There was no excuse for that, no smart-mouthed remark. It was obvious, looking at me, that I didn't have my ears ripped away. They weren't jagged or scared, but smoothed and rounded. True, it had been a needle thin cover, but it had been plausiable. At least more so than being part of a extinct race.

"Yeah... I got nothing." Daxter stated.

"It was bound," Jak reasoned, "to be found out sooner or later. Praxis realized that releasing that information could do more damage to us than him."

I said nothing. I had nothing to say and there was nothing to say on the matter. I would have preferred the subject to die there, but I knew it wouldn't. It was going to be a god-damn red devil sitting on my shoulder laughing at me.

"Look," Jak said taking the attention off me, "we climbed up to the Palace and tripped a few alarms."

The ex-Krimzon Guard slammed his hand down on the table, making the child nearly jump into Kor's arms with fright. "You are already on thin ice - I never authorized a strike on the -"

"We kicked the Baron's ass!" He almost shouted, cutting Torn off. His anger suddenly vented to defeat as he dropped his arms to his side. "Unfortunately, he go away."

Daxter, panicking, blurted out. "We overheard a secret meeting between the Metal Head Leader!"

Torn's face fell in disbelief, looking to Jak and I to confirm such a outrageous claim.

"You saw the Metal Head Leader?" Kor asked in a aghast whisper, the child shaking with fear at the mere mention of the beast.

I shook my head, straightening out my back. "No... He was on some communicator, but we heard him talking with Praxis."

"He is bribing the Metal Head with eco." Jak finished.

Kor let out a back of a laugh, a spiteful smirk crawling across his wrinkled lips. "It will never be enough!" the elderly man scowled deeply, but calmed as he stroked his long beard in a fashion remarkably similar to Albus Dumbledore.

Daxter grinned. "Oh, this is the best part! The Baron's plannin' on double crossing 'em!"

"Is that so?" He trailed off slowly, contemplating it. "Well, our 'good' Baron's 'wonderful' charms must have angered someone. There is word from the Wasteland that the Metal Head armies are on the move again."

That was bad. It was bad for everyone.

"Why didn't you tell us that Ashelin was Praxis's daughter? What is your connection to her!" He pressed, narrowing his eyes on Torn.

"That," he spat, "is none of your concern! Since you stirred up the Wumpbee's nest, you and whiskers here get to move four of our people to new safe houses. Shuttle each agent to a location they specify. Move all of them without casualties. Don't screw this up, Jak. Or I will kick all three of you out of the Underground."

Jak glowered at Torn, but held his tongue. He turned, expecting me to follow, but before I had a chance to move away from the pole - Torn stepped between Jak and I.

"You. Stay. Here."

For a moment Jak looked as if he was going to protest, maybe even hit the taller elf, but I gestured for him to go. We had done enough, we didn't need to beat a dead horse. With a grunt, Jak left.

Torn turned to face me, but his eyes fell behind me. I turned to find that Kor was suddenly very close. His old eyes narrowed on me intently, as if trying to study my very soul. I leaned back, frowning in distaste. Torn had already moved back to the table, helping the little boy to the floor.

"hmmm... I never imagined I would ever see a human... I thought they had gone extinct centuries ago."

"First," I told him, "I have no idea if there are anymore - second can you back up a bit?"

Kor shrugged, but moved aside. "How have you stayed in a area so full of eco? Doesn't eco kill you? Are you one of those able to create anomlies?"

I tensed slightly, how the hell did he know so much? Torn raised a dark eyebrow, clearly not understanding what the man had meant. "No... It doesn't, but I still can't touch it... Look," I closed my eyes, "I lost the crystals for teh Shadow up in the Palace. I need to get some sleep."

Without another word, I stormed across to the elevator. Torn let me go. I had expected a little more protest, but prehaps the large burn on my back had stopped him.

Now I sat in my room trying to calm myself and failing miserably at it. Subconsciously I traced the bolt shaped scar on my foreahed. At times I almost completely forgot it was there. I had hundreds of other scars. Each with a story, but none as famous or as old as that one. A scar I had all my life. When I was little I had been told it was a car crash, later I learned the truth of my parents death and why I was famous. What caused wizards we came across in supermarkerts to babble like idiots and some _bow. _

Once again, to be honest, I knew why I was angry.

I didn't care that they knew I was human. It had been something I had expected to come out eventually. I didn't expect it to be a big deal, but it was. I could handle the Krimzon Guards if they ever took notice of me on the street - hell... I didn't even care I was a liability. Jak and I had always been. We just never said it aloud and it was never an advantage to the Baron.

I could deal with the whispers, I could deal with being stared at like I'm some sideshow attraction - I had been one all my life. It was the fact that they had used my scar to define me... _again. _

If it had just been the ears - I would have been fine. Maybe even laughed it off. Yet, it seemed that I couldn't escape the scar. Once again people would meet me and their eyes would run straight to my forehead. Searching for it and automatically knowing who and what I was. There was a higher risk of capture, Jak was in the same boat. There was, however, more than one light haired man with a blue tunic running around Haven City.

I smirked out of spite. _Not many with rabid orange rats on their shoulders. _

The thought of Daxter being rapid made me laugh. He was a menace to bars and women, that was about it.

And again with the honesty... I was afraid of returning to that cell. Death, I wasn't afraid of that, but that small seven by seven cell terrorized me. I lost my sanity in there, I gave up in there, and I was still living through the reprecussions of it.

Invisera opened me up to a sink or swim world and I had been forced to swim. Dragged along the surface, gasping for air. I had refused to call myself anything that resembled a killer or a solider. Metal Heads and Aethers were creatures, not sentiant beings like myself and the elves. That's what I told myself and I never saw what I was becoming.

_I am now a cold blooded killer,_ I told myself staring at the ceiling, _a renegade on the run fighting a fight that was never his. _

Invisera had slapped me and Jak in the face with cruel reality of this world. Showing us how expendable life truly was. Unlike Jak, I had been more prepared for it. I knew how cruel people could be, how heavy handed their words were. With a childhood riddled with emotional and physical abuse laced with neglect. I never believed that the world was all rainbows and sunshine.

At one time, Jak did.

I clung to a naive notion that everyone was still good. Maybe it was the guilty kindness that my Aunt showed me, but I doubt it. Hogwarts had shown me a brighter side and a darker side to my life that I would have never experienced had I never opened that letter a half giant gave me. I was never a happy-go-lucky, but I was happy for the first time in my life.

Hogwarts had given me a chance to be something.

Invisera had hardened me.

Prison snapped me in half.

Worst of all, it took my empathy. I no longer cared, or could ever make myself care, for the problems of another person. I could walk past a suffering man and brush it off. I had done it so many times. I had left hundreds to die, I walked past the straving on the streets and turned away without a ounce of guilt.

Both Jak and I were picking up the pieces of what we once were... Some never to be found again.

Sometimes I could see a look on Daxter's face and I wondered what Hermione and Ron would think of me now. Daxter's boistrous nature and witted mouth covered it, but at times I could see that he struggled to accept what Jak had changed into. He disagreed with a lot of things we did, but he never voiced it. I wondered why Daxter was so loyal to Jak... If I ever thought he would answer me truthfully, I would have asked.

_Now, _I thought, _I have months to decide how I want my life to end. _I rose my hand to the light staring intently at the highlighted edges.

What was really crawling under my skin?

_Hate... _an unbidden voice whispered.

I snapped my head up, hand going for the gun at my side. It was like the voice had spoken right in my ear, but despite it - there was no one else in the room.

_Anger... _It whispered more heatidly.

I clamped my eyes shut. "Great... I've finally bit the bullet... I'm hearing voices..." There was no way this was a snake hybrid... I knew I wasn't excatly mentally stable, but I didn't think I was _that _mentally damaged.

A dull burning exploded in my chest, a incoherent mumbling bursting in my ears. The sudden screaming urge to run from the room torn through me in a mild panic. I gripped at my chest attemping to control the panic attack. I had thought I had it under control. I thought I had put aside the crippling anxiety.

Looking back now... I never realized how wrong my diagnoses of the attacks were.

_Rage! _It shouted angrily; fiercer than before.

Stumbling towards the bathroom, fearing that I would lose the meager contents of my stomach, I made it to the sink before my legs refused to move. I leaned over, gasping for breath. I cast my eyes fleetingly at my reflection. It had become a stranger to me in the last couple of years... But never more than now.

The thing look back at me wasn't completely human. My eyes were bright amber printed against black, dark veins extending across my temples. I rose a shaky, stunned, hand to my face only to feel sharpened edges digging in my cheek.

_Semi-Automatic _

Nearly a half and hour later, after I had pulled myself together, I stepped out of my room caustiously. My ripped clothes had been replaced, the tattered remains laying haphazard on my floor. Despite being the only one in the hallway, I was extremely aware of who was in their rooms.

Adjusting the black shades I had found, I took down the hallway towards the elevator. Jak wouldn't be back for a least another hour and I was ravenously hungry. A side effect, I suppose, of using such a large amount of dark eco to heal the hideously dire wound on my back. I had a sinking feeling that the mutations I was currently hiding were also a part of it.

Mutations that didn't seem to be going away any time soon.

I was half hoping that no one was there, but I knew that lady luck wasn't on my side. The bulliten was on every information server and sent to every personal date pad.

The hall was practically empty, twenty or so people inside the cavernous metal room. They were far spread, only a group of four speaking quietly in the corner. I recognized maybe several of their faces; men I had moved across the city eariler that month. I made a point of getting my food quickly and finding a seat as far back and secluded as possible.

Everything seemed to be unraveling right before me. Slipping through my hands before I had the chance to notice. I didn't expect to come down from that palace. Nor did I expect to be sitting, exposed, in the Mess under house arrest hiding dark eco mutations under sunglasses, thick gloves, and not moving my lips when I spoke.

"Hey Harry,"

I found myself suddenly staring at bright orange material, an unknown logo printed across the chest.

Heard you're under house arrest."

I snorted in response as Jonas let his metal tray fall down on the table before him. It clanged loudly in the moderate silence, making me wince. A long, pregnant silence filled the between us as I adjusted the sunglasses self-consciously.

"There is no way to get around this," Jonas sighed dramatically placing his fork down, "so I'm just going to ask. Why didn't you say something?"

"Hmmm?" I played ignorant.

The teen gave me a dull, unimpressed look. "You know what I mean, Harry. You could haved been killed millions of times with all the eco around."

Yeah, I remembered all of them. I gave a shrug of my shoulder, prodding at what looked like carrots on my plate, but were anything but. "You don't seem very surprised." I observed.

Jonas canted his head to the side considering the space between our trays. "No," he corrected, "I'm surprised. Yet, you're part of the Underground. Look," he cast his eyes tot he table behind him; several of the occupants staring at us. "people are going to stare and ask the same questions over and over again... But it will eventually blow over."

He smirked patting me on the shoulder as he stood up. "One good thing about Havenites. Too much shit happens on a daily basis that no one has time to dwell on what race the guy sitting next to them is."


	25. Million Dollar Men

**Faithless: **I hate being sick. Especially when you are blindsided by being sick... It just... comes at you laughing... Goddamn bastard. Completely the reason I didn't make good on the two other updates. I also got my wisdom teeth pulled... Head is in the clouds on painkillers – BUT SILVERLINING! I have Word 2007 on my computer : )

... Awe no reviews, sad face.

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Semi-Automatic

Part Three: Dead Men

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**Chapter Twenty-Five:**_ Million Dollar Men_

The plume of smoke rose high in the late night sky; sirens blaring at full while the fire raged. The panic masking his escape seconds before the two vehicles met each other in a violent head on collision. Breathless and exhilarated, Jak pressed himself to alley wall to avoid the inbound Krimzon Guard.

"You have _sooo _many issues..." Daxter muttered as he picked a piece of small shrapnel off his shoulder, ash and fine dust covering them both like a thin second skin. Jak merely smiled to his best friend while trying to calm his ash-streaked hair. He considered, as he picked a metal piece of what he once assumed to be part of a zoomer out of his hair, maybe he was due for a haircut. He kept himself decent, but he hadn't had the time to consider fashion since he had been out.

He felt Daxter slid down his arm nearly disappearing in the shadows as he crept up to the exit of the alley. Jak turned back to the fire, admiring his work with arms folded comfortably over his chest, leaning causally against the dark brick wall.

Shrapnel had embedded itself in every surface with in a ten foot radius of the explosion. Most of the crowd had scattered once they had realized what was going on. The crash had been unexpected in the relative silence after the blackout. Jak sure as hell didn't consider it until he was already playing chicken with a Hellcat Cruiser. Those who were brave enough or perhaps stupid enough, to stay watched with hidden admiration and concealed joy. No sympathy shown for the charred, red armoured body pulled from the foam dosed wreckage.

Jak could understand the lack of compassion showed for the man. Despite his own hatred and biased opinion of the Guard, they were nothing like what they were _supposed _to be. It had been the first thing Daxter had explained to Harry and himself. The actual role of the K.G outside the prison security they dealt with. They were functioning as both the law enforcement and the Baron's personal royal guard. They kept Upper Haven neat and proper while ignoring the poor bastards of the low class. No one pressed, Daxter had said, so nothing was ever done. The reason crime was so well established in the Red and Yellow Districts.

The EMTs, dressed in green and white uniforms, took the body in the back of an ambulance while others searched through the crowd for anyone injured in the wave. He realized that it was time to leave as the Krimzon Guard began to fan out for witnesses.

Turning away from the scene, he caught sight of Daxter standing on a trash bin scouting out the adjoined alley. Running his hand down his side, he felt the jagged tip of metal that had lodged itself in his side. He was genuinely surprised to find it there. There was no pain, just minor stiffness in his side. Looking back to Daxter fleetingly, he wrenched the metal from his side without an ounce of pain.

_The poisoning must be farther along than I thought... _Hemused grimly tossing the metal away without a second look. _I'm starting to lose feeling... _

"Hey, Jak – This way is clear!" Daxter waved him over from the bin, his form half shadowed in the muted light of half broken service lamp. "You alright?" He questioned once Jak entered the light, his eyes falling down to the large blood stain on his side.

Jak nodded. "Nothing, I'm fine."

_Keep telling yourself that. _

White hot pain flashed in the back of his neck and for a second, he thought he had been shot. His eyes burned and watered uncontrollably as he clasped at his temple. "_Shit..." _He breathed snapping his hand out to the wall beside him to keep his balance.

The pain ebbed away leaving only a throbbing headache as Dark's twisted and stolen voice seemed to echo off a non-existent surface. It was no less unsettling as it had been the first time he had heard it; his own voice with an undertone of something barbaric, deep, and animalistic, always so furious and insane.

"For Precursor's sake?" the renegade muttered frustrated.

"Dark again?" Daxter asked knowingly, his eyes resting solely on Jak.

"Yeah..." His alternate side, one that Daxter and Harry had both named 'Dark,' had developed speech less than a week ago. He hadn't told Harry about it, but Daxter had been there during the first episode. It was rare that _it _would use its new found talent, but when it did... It tended to express how much it hated Jak.

A spiteful smirk grazed his lips. It brought a whole new meaning to self-loathing.

"Well, you still with me?" Opening his eyes he found himself staring a gloved hand waving up and down in front of his face. He grunted, smacking Daxter's paw away, and glanced to his shoulder. He hadn't even felt the ottsel crawl back to his usual place...

"Sorry to interrupt whatever argument you are having with yourself..." Jak gave him a dull glare, "... but don't you think that we should head back to the base?" suggested Daxter rolling his wrist as if it wasn't important. "I would mind leaving Wolfie to squirm a bit longer..."

Jak let out a laugh, shaking his head slightly. "When Harry get's skittish, people end up dying. So I suppose it would be a good idea."

Daxter gave a less enthused, uncertain laugh. "Hahaha... yeah... you're joking right?"

Jak only shrugged, smirking as his friend seemed deflate on his shoulder. He vaguely wondered how much trouble Harry had managed to get himself into in the last three hours that he been alone in the base.

Probably, knowing him, a lot.

When he managed to work his way through the alert and narrowly avoiding a too curious K.G that had followed him into the alley, he found Harry standing opposite Torn with a perplexed look on his face. His mouth working as if whatever answers he could supply would end him further in a hole he honestly didn't want to be in. Jak, just to amuse himself, almost wanted to hear what Harry was going to say.

Torn was waiting in a demanding silence for the hesitant human to answer him. His eyes never straying from him, irritation twitching at the corners of his mouth. The man standing next to Torn grabbed Jak's attention, more precisely the all too familiar geometric tattoos on his face did. There were very few ex-Krimzon Guard agents inside the Underground, Torn being one of maybe three he knew of. They had long since left the Guard when the three of them joined, but this wasn't one Jak knew of.

His hand twitched towards his gun out of habit.

Daxter, seeing the motion, leaned closer to Jak's ear. "Calm down," he whispered urgently, "you're alright buddy... He's with the Underground; he wouldn't be here if he wasn't."

Jak quickly pulled himself back, silently nodding his thanks. It wasn't the fact that the man was a K.G, defected or not, it was that he knew him. He didn't know how he knew him, but his face was familiar. Far more familiar than anyone in this world should have been. He recognized the dark brown skin contrasted with dusty blonde hair and brown eyes. He was broad shoulder, tall, and muscled – a natural soldier. The man watched the whole scene before him amused, a smile playing on his lips as he waited just curious to hear Harry worm his way from the situation practically pinning him to a wall.

"Jak!" Harry suddenly announced, relief washing over his tired face.

"I'm guessing you haven't explained a thing yet, have you?" He questioned already knowing the answer.

A tired lopsided smirk broke on his unusually pale face. "No, haven't quite figured out how to word it."

Daxter made a clicking noise with his tongue, winking at Harry. "Nice clothes, man. I bet you fifty orbs that they don't stay that way for long."

Jak took notice of the fact that he had changed his clothes in something remarkably similar to what he had worn before. The jacket was black with white lining with a detachable dark grey hood buckled to his collar. A white turtle neck with a thick zipper running from collar to hem-line. What Jak didn't understand was why he was wearing black sunglasses and two pairs of gloves and when he spoke, he barely moved his lips.

Folding his arms over his chest, Jak considered what exactly he was going to tell Torn. The thought of telling the truth never crossed his mind. Unfortunately, he forgot to think of something on his way back.

"Think fast, Jak, water is rising fast." Commented the man from Torn's side.

Recognition flashed over his face as he met the man's eyes. A memory of being trapped, with Ava and Harry, in a ring of Metal Heads ready to tear them a part with no weapons or ammo to speak of, their Captain demanding him to think fast and act just as quickly.

"Heh," he stepped around the table extending his hand to clasp his, "I always pegged you as someone who would default from the Guard! It is good to see you again, Onoh."

Onoh Do'Lang had been a second year Invisrin in their first year. As an exercise in leadership, they were given a team of first years and told to survive for two weeks out in the middle of the desert. Their team had been selected for Onoh, a master marksmen and talented hand to hand fighter. He was less stern than the other Captains, relying on his team's voice as whole rather than barking orders from a safe distance away. He fought with them and offered advice and options, skills and techniques that had saved Jak's life more than once in the last year.

Onoh, by far, was the only man that Jak still admired.

He nodded with a smile, turning back to Torn. "You are a lucky bastard to have both of them on your side, Torn." He jerked his head towards Harry. "This kid took out a Metal Rhino without a single shot to the head. Quickest Arena battle I had ever seen."

Jak saw Harry twitch, not fondly remembering the day his mutations started to show.

"Look," Jak spoke growing impatient, "this Underground if for people who want to fight the Baron, right? We want to fight the Baron." He gestured to himself, Harry, and Daxter. "Can't that be enough for you?"

"Yes, it usually would be." Torn admitted casually.

"Then why are you up our arses for more?" Demanded Harry, his patients wearing just as thin as his.

"Because," Torn growled at his tone, "the Baron wants your heads on a silver platter – and that is bringing more attention to the Underground. Attention we don't need and can barely handle. You two are dangerous. Far more dangerous than two teens should be – Even if you have Invisera training."

Jak, tired of Torn, stepped forward to tell him exactly what he thought when he ran into Harry's upraised arm. He snapped his eyes to Harry, confused.

"We were both in prison."

Daxter nearly choked as Jak stared on with disbelief.

"So was I," Torn said unimpressed with the answer, "the Baron does not go to his extreme to get two kids back. I assumed you were when you walked into my base in a blood soaked prison uniform. Tell me something I don't know and quick, because this conversation is –"

"I suppose," Harry interrupted, "you would go to these lengths to get your million dollar dark eco experiments back."

_

* * *

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Semi-Automatic

The halls of the Fortress were void of life and most of the offices had been cleared, the day shifts long since ended. The few that remained on patrol soon to be sent home as the night started to dwindle into the early morning. The chaos of the afternoon having settled and dealt with leaving the majority of the Guards patrolmen in the Hospital and the prison overflowing with rioters.

The rain storm that raged through Haven doing little to ease the tension that settled in the Commander. His office giving him a panoramic view of the storm that hovered directly above the city like a blanket; thunder clapping together loudly as the lightening lit up the grey sky.

He ran a two toned glove through his hair as he let out a frustrated sigh. Three hours spent in the warpath of Baron Praxis demanding a security reform and tripled patrols around the Palace, the information sitting in front of him wasn't what he would have liked to be presented with this early in the morning. Especially sober.

Looking back down at the holo-screen in his desk, he vaguely wondered what would be able to stop something like _that. _The screen was paused on the image of a mutated humanoid creature ripping a Metal Head clean in two. The small, pale human that it once was disappear under a clearly insane and powerful creature full of dark eco.

The newly acquired security tape had been sent to him after nearly a month of trying to clean up the distorted film. The only camera, a black box device that had survived the eco surge that knocked out an entire sub-section of the security grid. Even with everything the IT department had done, there was only fifteen seconds of useable footage.

Reaching forward, Errol grabbed the folder lying open on his desk. The same folder he had been given nearly two years ago when they had retrieved both teens from Invisera. Nowhere in the file did it say that dark eco has been used on the human, but the evidence of it was undeniable. Snapping the folder shut, finding it useless, he tossed it back to desk glaring bitterly at the image, but admiring the destructive power.

"Sir?"

"What is it now?" He demanded as the soldier came through the door. He was not in the mood with anything more today. He didn't make a habit of killing his own men, but the idea was growing more and more enticing.

The armoured man extended a blue folder towards him. "The new enrolment forms are here. You requested to have them sent to as soon as they arrived. I had assumed you had left for the night, Sir."

Errol took the folder, waving the soldier off. "You're dismissed."

The soldier saluted and turned to leave.

Opening the package, he scanned the front page before deciding it could be dealt with another time. The paper work for a hundred and seven applicants wasn't something you started at three in the morning. His eyes slipped down to the names of the twenty-seven applicants from Invisera. Those that needed nothing more than to complete their week orientation without a trace of work on his part other than assigning their divisions.

One name, however, stood out amongst the rest. "Now... _This _is interesting... Sallin."

The soldier turned away from the door as the Commander walked around his desk, folder in hand with a smirk. "Sir?"

He pointed to a name near the bottom of the list. "The Invisrin's arrived an hour ago, correct?"

The soldier nodded. "They're waiting to be directed to their barracks for the night..."

"Find her and tell her to come to my office. Don't," he warned, "speak of this to anyone."

Once the guard had read the name, his face twisted with surprise and mild disbelief. He once again saluted and disappeared through the door.

Not even ten minutes later, the graduate stepped through his door. Her hair tied back and dressed in the skin tight blue and black uniform. He studied her for a moment, the difference of ten years almost staggering.

"You wouldn't believe how surprised I was to see your name on the list, Avalon."

Her eyes rested on him for a moment before skating to the floor. "I guess you can say I came to my senses."

The Commander let out a husky laugh, shaking his head bemused. "Oh, I _seriously _doubt that."

Ava cast him a dull, weary look as he leaned back in his chair hands crossed over his stomach. "But, you are my little sister. I suppose some leeway is granted in that respect. Does he know you are back? That you've... _come to your senses?" _He mocked.

The young woman frowned. "No... Not yet. I was expecting him to find out sooner or later. Let me guess, you are going to tell him?"

"No." Errol replied simply.

The surprise that flashed across her face was almost comical. "That would be because...?"

"I'm not going to tell him because I need you for a mission at the moment. One better served if you are not tripping over yourself worrying about meeting with him." A smirked tugged at the corner of his lips. "Let's just say it will prove what you're really after."

Ava, letting her composure drop, let out a frustrated sigh scowling at him. "Can't you just believe I'm back? That I realized how childish and reckless what I did was?"

Errol continued to smirk, endlessly amused with the soldier. "Least you learned something, I _almost _believed you." He pushed himself from the chair and stood directly in front of the considerably shorter brunette. She raised her eyes with a chilly lack of expression, shoulders squared, and unafraid.

"A few months is realizing that you're being childish. Nearly a decade is a 'fuck you' and you know it." He told her a laugh reaching into his voice. "As I recall, you yelled that as you left."

As he brushed past her, he placed a folder in her hands. Ava silently flipped through it before turning to face her elder brother. "And Ashelin?"

The scowl that crawled over his face at their sister's name told Ava that the blood between her siblings was still as sour as it had been nine years ago. She doubted that Ashelin would tell their father immediately, but she had a feeling that she, like Errol, would hold it over her head for as long as it held a decent chance of forcing her hand.

"She's a Captain." He answered disdainfully.

"I see... What mission do you need me for then?" She ventured, almost afraid to hear it.

Her heart pounded furiously as his turned back to her, face holding nothing but a malice that was worse than their father. "Something that if you screw up... The Baron finding out his runaway daughter is back will be the least of your problems."

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Semi-Automatic

"What?"

Harry had known he was signing his death warrant with Jak, but it had to be done. Torn wasn't letting them go with a half-assed story. No, he wouldn't go into depth, but he knew it was enough to get him off their backs for the moment. He could dangle the truth in an off-handed remark and refuse to explain.

"We're willing to help you," he continued, "Don't question it."

A long, heavy silence passed between the five of them as Torn seemed to process what had been said. Daxter shifted anxiously on Jak's shoulder while Harry could feel the elf's eyes boring into his back.

"Fine," Torn suddenly, "I have a mission."

Daxter let out a cry of protest. "What? It's three in... the..." He trailed off seeing the warning look in both Harry and Jak's eyes.

"Scouts report movement in Dead Town," He motioned them closer to the map, "creatures moving toward the Sacred Site, just like before."

"Uh... what happened before?" Daxter questioned, ducking behind Jak's shoulder armour.

Torn didn't look interested in answering the question, Onoh taking the conversation into his own hands. "Metal Heads broke through the old city wall. We fought them, but then the Baron pulled back. He left everyone outside the new barrier to die." He added with disgust. "A marvelous showcase of his compassion for his fellow man."

The Underground Commander nodded. "Only the Shadow stayed and somehow stopped the attack."

"and you now expect us to go out there again?" Jak snapped.

"You catch on fast," Torn sneered, "if you prevent the Metal Heads from reaching the Site, the Shadow will be... most grateful. He might even ask to see you. That is what you want isn't it?" He asked Jak, raising an eyebrow. "The whole reason you are here?"

Jak glared at him, but he had called their number. Harry had to admit he was mildly impressed.

"And what makes you assume I'm letting Harry go?"

Onoh cut Harry off with a raise of his hand. "Because, you're not an idiot Torn. The guards already knew that he was human - The graduates coming in this year trained with both Harry and Jak in Invisera. In all reality, it doesn't make a difference."

Torn seemed to consider it, and then finally nodded. He reached under the table pulling up two massive Mod attachments. "I'm probably wasting these, but here are a couple of Vulcan Barrels for those pea shooters of yours. Believe me; you're going to need it."


	26. Count Your Bullets

**Faithless: **Motrin... It is truly a girl's best friend. Also... Anyone notice how much longer this story seems to be than the original? Shorter chapters I suppose... Prepare for dour and depression for next few chapters!

**Hey – Read this! KINDA INTERESTING! **

P.S – I just kind of heard about it, but apparently there is a game coming out for the PS3 called Move Heroes. It's combining Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter, and Sly Cooper Series together. Seeing Clank running around a slightly distorted Haven City attacking K.G bots was funny. From the trailer from a Sony press conference – Ps3 version of Haven and K.G bots looks pretty friggin cool. Just kind of wondering... will it be kiddish? There's a link on my profile to a video I found showing off Jak's new whip weapon.

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Semi-Automatic

Part Three: Dead Men

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**Chapter Twenty-Six**: _Count Your Bullets_

Harry had a special place in his heart for the Vulcan Mod. Be it a 'boys and their toys' thing or not, the massive gun was a masterpiece. Even thought it was unpractical, heavy, and loud as hell, it was worth it. The first time he had held the blue eco machine gun, he loathed it. He found it cumbersome, too loud, and rather useless to fire with. He preferred the Blaster back then. Yes, the Blaster was practical, the Blaster was well rounded, and the Blaster was a weapon that a blind man could fire.

Nothing he had handled, save the Peacemaker he had seen Sig use, compared to the mass destruction and mayhem that could be dealt with the Vulcan in the right hands. It sliced down anything it came across with a hundred bullets a clip. He had seen a Metal Head pinned to a wall by the sheer force of the hits, dead long before the clip ran out. This was a weapon you took to a Metal Head fight. Sure, the Blaster had aim control; the Vulcan just got the job _done._

He _loved _the damn thing.

He slid the arched blue clip into the bare slot of his Morph Gun, the transmorphic controls recognizing the module and with a press of a button Harry felt the weapon's weight increase tenfold. It was heavy, but nothing that he couldn't handle. Right now, he felt like Christmas had come early. Knowing full well that the gun wouldn't fit in his holster the way it was, he switched it back to Blaster and set it away. He was hoping that Dead Town made good on Torn's warning. The last time they had been there, they had been weapon less and there were no Metal Heads to speak of. He honestly didn't care for the mission; he just wanted to fire the Vulcan.

He didn't even notice the snarl on Jak's face until he was spun around and his shirt fisted in Jak's hands. His eyes almost appeared black in the light of the alley, face contorted with contempt. "When the hell did I decide that shit was any of their business?" He demanded, grip tightening on his shirt. "I never said they were allowed to know!"

Harry had planned to take the anger in strides, to allow Jak to vent and yell at him as he pleased. He had planned dealing with a moody, pissed Jak for a few days after this. He hadn't planned on Jak suddenly deciding to be an arrogant asshole about it. Anger bubbled in Harry's chest, his eyes locking with his defiantly. Daxter stood practically a statue on Jak's shoulder, his eyes dancing between them anxiously. Harry decided, as he reached his hands up in surrender, Daxter was in the way. He dipped his chin apologetically, relaxing his shoulders as if to take the elder elf's scorn.

It was Jak opened his mouth that Harry's hands moved in a flash. He punched Jak's shoulder, dislodging the rodent with a yelp. On reflex, as Jak made grab for his other arm, his hand flew open and grabbed his shoulder to keep steady. His felt his new claws scrap loudly against the metal of the armour, digging in as he twisted Jak around sharply. He forced Jak against the wall, a hand pressed to the back of head while the other held his wrist in a vice like grip; threatening to break the bone if Jak so dared to move the wrong way.

"What the _hell _are you two doing!" Daxter shouted from somewhere behind Harry. He didn't care; his focus was to keep Jak pinned. No small feat when the man in question wanted your blood.

"When _you _decide, Jak? It's not just your secret to keep! Not your problem to deal with! I'm just as involved in it as you are!" He hissed, emphasising each word with a harder press to the back of Jak's head. He barely stopped short of bashing his skull on the concrete wall. At the moment, he admitted bitterly to himself, it didn't seem like a bad idea.

Jak, with effort, turned his head slightly to glower at Harry. This time Harry knew it wasn't a trick of the light. Jak's eyes were pure black. "They didn't need to know." He hissed through clenched teeth. "Let. Me. Go." He demanded in the second breath, a venomous growl rippling through his throat.

"Harry – c'mon, I know that was an asshole thing to say –" Daxter started, "but you know Jak! He gets out of it when Dark tries to goad him. C'mon, stop already - What if K.G sees you two fighting? Knowing our luck, we'd get some idiot who decides to do his job today!" He flourished his hands, eyes darting to the entrance to the alley.

He didn't want to admit it, but Daxter was right. "I'll let you up if you calm down." He answered fiercely. He didn't know when Jak had developed a sense of superiority, but if Daxter was right – and Dark had made an appearance lately – it explained it.

He felt Jak relax, his shoulders drop, and his voice turn deceptively calm. "Fine. I'm calm." He muttered begrudgingly.

Hesitant, but knowing that it was the best he was going to get, Harry released him and stepped out of arms reach. From personal experience, Harry knew what a wicked right hook Jak had. Jak refused to look at Harry, his head dipped with hands pressed against the wall. Daxter slipped between Harry's legs, coming to rest at Jak's boot.

Turning away, Harry shoved his hands into his pockets. The claws had ripped through the double layered leather, had planned on telling Jak about the mutations as soon as he saw him, but this didn't seem like the time. Once again Harry felt his shoulder jerked back, but this time he met the ground hard with a boot slammed against his ribs. He let out a grunt as his entire left ribcage cracked. The shades slipped from his nose, clattering loudly on the stone. He gasped for air only to find his wind pipe nearly collapsed underneath Jak's metal plated boot. His hands flew up, nails digging into the leather to scrap against the thin skin over Jak's ankle.

He turned his eyes to Jak, narrowing slatted irises. Anger seemed to vent slightly as Jak took in the mutations. His mouth drew together tightly, lips curling inward before he finally moved his boot off and walked away. Harry was left breathless on his back with his eyes on the early morning sky. Harry couldn't say he understood what was going on, only a prick in the back of his mind telling him that things were going to get a lot worse. His ribs cracked back into place, his chest aching as he picked himself up off the floor. He scanned for his shades, but found Daxter holding out them out towards him.

"You alright?" He asked sombrely, as if suddenly all too aware of the situation and disappointed with it. "You're all _humanly_ again, I don't think you'll need 'em... Makes a great fashion statement." He joked half heartedly.

_

* * *

_

Semi-Automatic

The tension in the air was so thick; you could have crashed into it. It was a like a massive bubble that engulfed the two. Even those walking on the streets made a point of avoiding the absolutely livid teens, persuaded by the guns they carried with them to get the hell of out their way. Daxter, at any other time, would have been the master of cheap talk and bad jokes, but even he didn't dare touch this.

Daxter couldn't say that he was the most retrospective person in the world, but he had to admit he was finding more and more that he missed the old Jak. In his wildest dreams, he never believed that his childhood friend could become a man like this. It was hard to believe, at times, that the same kid who climbed a tree to help put a fallen baby bird back its nest was the same that could shoot someone in the head and run over his body.

Then again, Daxter knew almost absolutely nothing about what happened to Jak inside. Even when Jak had been a mute, he had talked to Daxter far more than he did now. He had always been good at reading him, came with not being able to verbally communicate with a friend you spent every day with. Now... It was like looking at a brick wall.

He blew out a huff of hot breath that turned into a cloud of mist. Why was he complaining? It was his fault, after all. It had taken him _two years _to find him. Maybe if he had worked out the pipes faster, if he had met Osmos sooner, if he hadn't run away in the fire place.

Nothing had been the same since they had gone to Misty Island to satisfy their curiosity. Samos had painted a large 'x' on the island. Naturally, that made it the place to go. True, he found himself liking this world better than the old, boring island that he grew up on, but it was hefty price to pay.

He glanced to Jak, his face void of all expression save vivid anger, and wondered.

_Was I too late? _

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* * *

_

Semi-Automatic

They parked the zoomers outside the ditch that lead down into the annexed airlock. Harry took the first slid down while Jak paced, hands shoved in his pockets waiting for a patrol of guards to pass. Once clear, Jak joined Harry at the entrance, dusting his pale slacks clear of dirt. They waited impatiently inside the airlock, the gears on the door spinning far too slowly for either of them to deal with at the moment.

Harry let out a breath of relief as the door opened at the same moment Jak had opened his mouth to say something. He strode forward, his hand reached down to finger the handle of his gun. The smell decay hung heavy in the air, just as he remembered, and the water seemed have receded exposing new paths and archways through the long since abandoned district.

Once they trio came out of the roofless alley, Jak let out an impressed whistle. Dead Town had earned its name the first time Harry laid eyes on it. It was void of life, the buildings completely forgotten and decaying in rancid, sludge filled water. Now, it was truly dead. The overgrowth was withered and dry. Even the algae that laced the edges of buildings had died, pooling in clusters or caught on stones. There was no sign of life, none of the birds that had once been there, insects, or even rats. The quiet was almost disconcerting, if not suggesting a massive Metal Head infestation.

He felt something connect with his shoulder, Jak jerking his chin across a small river towards what Harry assumed used to be a pillar. An old, weather beaten wooden platform was precariously attached to it, the wood looking splintered and too wet to support the two of them. "We could head over that."

As they approached, Harry took the first try. The wood creaked and groaned, but held albeit shaking as he stepped. When his head rose above the line of the rock, he nearly lost it. A Metal Head snarled, saliva spilling down on his cheek, jaws snapping inches from his face. He ducked, Jak firing with the Blaster. He threw himself onto the rock, rolling past the second grunt and fired off three shots. It dodged the first two, but was crippled by the second. It let out a whine as if stumbled with the loss of its front legs. Jak, coming up behind him, pressed his gun to the creature's forehead. It practically exploded, sending brain, skull, and pieces of burned skin up into the air.

They crawled to the ledge of the rock, an unknown type of Metal Head stalking across the opposite shore. It made a high-pitched growl that ended with a hollow howl. It stood bipedal and black against the stone. In its three fingered hand was a staff with a glowing purple head.

"They're called Slingers," Daxter whispered, "They throw large balls of... stuff at you." He pitched his hand forward to demonstrate. "They have one hell of an aim."

Jak, without hesitation, stood to his feet at Harry's side. He hefted the Vulcan Mod and took came with the pinpoint laser. He braced his feet and held down the trigger. Harry was forced to his feet to avoid being showered in shell casings. The loud siren emitted across and echoed back on them. The Slinger was pinned to the wall, the continuous stream of bullets spilling out green blood instead of purple. Jak finally released the trigger, both of them waiting to see if the Metal Head got back up again. It flopped lifelessly to the ground, bursting into a cluster of dark eco was it went.

"Don't suppose you counted that?" Harry asked, dropping his hands from his ears.

"Yeah," he snapped derisively, "because I _always _count my bullets."

"We'll just be wasting-"

Daxter moaned exasperated. "Geez! Calm down both of you! Let's just get this done with! This place is creepy..." he glanced around nervously, fur standing on end. "Feels like someone is watching me..."

Harry let out a small laugh as he turned. "Maybe it's your ghosts, Dax."

The ottsel shivered at the thought, Jak merely rolling his eyes as they pressed on. They didn't find any trouble until they reached a bottle-necked corridor inside what looked to be an old apartment complex. Two Slingers had them pinned and they were running low on Vulcan ammo. It was a good weapon; aim wasn't the best when you had to be quick. A constant array of eco bombs sent chunks of stone and concrete towards them.

"Oh screw this!" Jak growled frustrated. He stepped out from behind the wall and fired down into the end of the alley. Harry taking out the second who attempted to dodge Jak's sudden onslaught. The long necked Metal Heads fell, bursting just as the others had. Harry took to collecting the fallen gems while the eco surged directly towards Jak's hand.

Harry remembered when Jak had nearly crawled over six people to get away from Dark Eco, now he simply twitched out his hand as it slid against his skin. Jak raised his eyes to see that Harry was staring and threw on a smirk. "Needy bastard isn't it?"

"Hmmm," He responded approaching his side. A small orb of dark eco that had yet to reach his hand suddenly diverted. It went straight to Harry's thigh, sinking against the material of his clothing and burned his leg with a bearable heat.

"If I thought I was wrong about the Dark Eco before, that just proves it." Jak stated, motioning for the slightly bewildered Harry to follow up the stairs.

"Are we almost there?" Complained Daxter twenty minutes later, "How big can this place be?"

Harry, standing a few feet from Jak, took the time to check his ammo supply. The Vulcan was completely dry, the Scatter had about twenty rounds and the Blaster could get off maybe two shots before it went down. For no other reason than he simply could, Harry looked across the bay below them. An old, wooden shack with a straw roof sat supported on impossibly spindly legs. The only thing that made the building special was that, despite the death of all other plant life in the district, it flourished with it. Healthy, strong, and very green foliage spilled out of the split wood and coiled down the sides.

"Jak! Daxter!" Harry called brandishing his hand, "I think that maybe the Sacred Site we were looking for." He jerked his chin towards the hut as the two came closer.

He had expected Jak to just nod, declare it was safe, and they would be on their way. He watched as Jak paled and his jaw go limp. The gun nearly fell from his fingers as he stared at the hut, eyes flashing with recognition and turmoil.

"Is that..." Daxter voice cracked, "is that... Not it couldn't be... that's not...!" he trailed off in a horrified, stupefied voice.

"It's Samos's hut..." Jak said, shoulders slumping. "Precursors..." He breathed.

Daxter was still fumbling with his words, clenching to Jak's armour tightly. "But... What!How?When!Where!Why!"

Jak squinted at the hut, a hand coming up to cover his mouth. "We're in the future, Dax... This... _horrible _place... Is... Our world." He ended in defeat; Harry could have sworn he saw his shoulders tremble with the weight of the realization.

This was just as shocking to Harry as it was to the two of them. Jak had told Harry about his world while they were Invisera. It sounded as close to a paradise as someone could ever be. Beaches, sand, and simplicity... "How is that possible Jak?"

Harry had experience with Time Travel, yes, but he didn't think it was possible here. This wasn't a world with magic... What technology, what eco for that matter, could send a group of people into the future?

"I..." Jak stumbled, "I don't know. What happened... for a future like this?"

Harry was speechless. All he could do was stand by as the two stared helplessly at what used to be Jak's mentor's hut – old and decaying like the rest of the city. He couldn't imagine what either of them was feeling at that moment. To be present with the fact that a place you held so close in memory was the very same place that you had lost more than you would ever want to admit.


	27. Green Shadows

**F/R: **_so... very tired... Deviantart account's getting some action =P I'm not the best artist, but go drop in if you want. Also, it would be cool to make a hundred reviews this chapter. I went back and fixed chapter 26._

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Semi-Automatic

Part Three: Dead Men

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**Chapter Twenty-Seven: **_Green Shadows _

Harry resisted the urge to scowl as the zone patrol handed his security pass back, the guard too tired to question why they were both soaked with mud. Jak waited up ahead having already cleared the line they had been forced into. They had come out of Dead Town to find that the Guard's presence in the Slums had tripled in the last few hours. They had been stopped three times already to show their pass or I.D card. They lacked I.D cars, but luckily enough Krew's passes had been enough for the Guard to let them pass without incident.

Exhaustion had taken hold of Harry, the sun due to rise in less than an hour. Yet again they had worked the night away, the day promising the same.

The two of them had called a truce of sorts, laying down the animosity in lieu of the world shattering revelation the two of them had been slapped with. Harry had only _just _torn Jak away from the decaying hut, Torn having called them back to the base with the promise of meeting the Shadow personally.

"Finally," Daxter snorted, "we get to meet this Shadow guy!" He wrinkled his nose, leaning forward. "I mean... What do you need to get noticed in this place?"

Harry smirked; getting noticed wasn't their problem...

Once they reached the base he had to admit there was a ping of excitement in his chest. They had jumped through hoops to see this man. He vaguely wondered if it would be worth it... The door slid back revealing that Torn was already waiting for them with crossed arms and a stern expression.

"The Shadow's decided it's time to meet you." He announced.

Jak, without missing a beat, stepped up behind Harry. "Why is that place in the old ruins so important to you?"

"There's a powerful energy force at the old house. The Metal Heads are attracted to it." Torn told him.

"No kidding? Daxter and I used to know the guy that lived there..."

It was then that an odd and very strong scent caught Harry's attention. Daxter, who had been straining to see over Torn's shoulder then entire time, noticed it the same time he did. It was a heavy, earthy scent of wet moss and soil. The scent itself wasn't special, it was the fact they were in the middle of Haven City.

The figured standing with his back to them turned as Torn stepped aside to let them through. "So, you're the new recruits who keep getting in trouble."

For the second time that night, Harry knew he was missing something.

Daxter let out a distressed moan, face twisting with disappointment. "Oh no, no _you!" _

The Shadow was far from what Harry expected... Honestly he didn't think he could have ever imagined the man standing before him. He was short standing on twin logs that hadded the majority of his height. He was a round man with green skin and an afro of greying green hair. The odd glasses that sat on his nose made his eyes appear to be twice their size and completely black. Admittedly, Harry was speechless.

"Welcome to our humble Underground movement. I am the Shadow, but you may call me Samos. You are?" He asked hooking his thumbs into the straps of his brown overalls.

Daxter, completely furious, growled out. "Sheesh, Jak! We went through all that just to mee his holiness ol'log in the head, grandpa green!"

Jak spoke with genuine confusion. "Don't you know who we are?"

The Shadow shook his head. "Sorry kid... Never seen you before – and I never forget a face... Especially one that ugly." He gestured to Daxter.

"So... it begins." He sighed dramatically.

Torn looked to Harry demanding some sort of answer, but Harry could only shrug his shoulders just as confused.

Jak covered his eyes in frustration. "How is this possible? We came through the rift with you... Into the future right?"

"Yeah!" Daxter supported, "you used to look older than dirt and uglier than a knotted stump!" He declared narrowing his eyes on the Shadow sceptically. "What gives? Did you get a little nip and tuck while we were gone?"

It took every ounce of Harry's self control not laugh. One glance at the irate man beside him told him that he probably wouldn't keep his head if he so much as smiled.

"Listen boys," the Shadow stated, "I don't know what kind of twigs you've been chewing on, but I don't have time for this." All politeness had fled from the man, replaced with annoyance only Daxter could bring out. "We've got a Baron to overthrow, a child heir to protect, an ivasion to Metal Heads to stop, and a city to save! I'd say the schedules pretty full! Besides," he wrinkled his nose, "I haven't gone through any rifts, I hate teleporting."

"... Sure sounds like the old Samos." Daxter mumbled.

"Right now," the Shadow stressed, "I need you two go to Haven Forest and root out a few Metal Heads. That forest is the source of my power, but I can't protect it much longer. Chase down and destroy all the Metal Head Scouts you find there."

Before Daxter could dig them a deeper hole, Harry stepped forward. "Consider it done." He scooped Daxter off the floor by his tail, flinging the ottsel at Jak.

"Good luck and welcome to the fight," The shadow called after them.

Once outside Harry turned to face Jak. "I have seen some things, Jak, and I mean that... But what in the bloody hell was _that?" _

Jak looked at him oddly. "What do you mean?"

"The sodding man was _green, _Jak, _green..." _

~_Semi-Automatic~_

"Did you see his _face _when it turned around?" Daxter laughed, clenching at his chest trying to breathe despite dissolving into another round of boisterous laughter. Harry made no attempt to hide the mirth in his as he took to cleaning his gun beside the laughing ottsel.

Jak muttered darkly under his breath as he wrung his hair out of salt water. His clothes and equipment completely soaked and clogged with deadfall. His filthy shirt, holster, and goggles laid out on a flat rock to dry while the shirtless rebel glowered at the both of them.

The youngest of three decided to keep his comments to himself, watching Daxter mock Jak was far more entertaining. He, of course, wouldn't be letting Jak forget this anytime soon. Daxter hadn't stopped laughing since they had both watched Jak's lengthy swim back to the shore. The Metal Head he had been chasing spinning a 180 to collide head long into a very alarmed blonde.

Harry had watched from the opposite shoreline, Daxter having made the better choice to wait with him. He had spent a good twenty minutes trying to wipe the grin off his face, but could only grim impishly at Jak as he handed him his gun back.

"Personally," Harry grinned, "I think it was rather smart."

"Screw you." Jak growled, pulling his still damp shirt back on.

"It was like BAM!" Daxter threw his hands up, "you're out for the count!" He rolled onto his stomach, flashing Jak a toothy-grin. "Least the thing hit you so hard it knocked its own gem out!"

"Would you shut up already?" Jak snapped angrily stringing his rucksack back across his hips.

"Not. A. Chance." Daxter promised pushing himself on all fours. "We should get back to the Shadow. While you were doing your backstrokes, he called Harry."

Jak mumbled under his breath, turning his back to the two in a show of half-assed contempt. Daxter and Harry rolled their eyes, both seeing the hidden smirk tugging at his lips.

The entire trip back, at the expense of Jak, Harry and Daxter made none-too-subtle jibes. Honestly, Harry couldn't remember the last time he had any of them, or himself, laugh that much. Jak, on the other hand, just seemed to be glad to turn into the dead end ally. The Shadow was already waiting for them, a little boy chasing after an animal Harry had never seen before.

As they came closer, the scent of damp earth hit him hard. It was welcome against the polluted air of Haven, but it didn't make it any less overwhelming. "... Ya'know... This guy creeps me out." He just couldn't wrap his head around the man before him.

"He's a Green Eco Sage," Jak whispered back over his shoulder, "the reason he smells like plants. He's a master of it... or at least, the one I knew was."

"Great," Harry hissed, "master of the eco that nearly killed me."

"Buddy, you can absorb dark eco ad you're afraid of green? Seriously?" Daxter asked with a disbelieving shake of his head.

"... Bad experience." Harry mumbled.

"Ah! There you three are!" The Shadow greeted warmly, his hands clasped behind his back. He watched the child make another lap around him, silently giggling while the puppy continued to prance away from him, tail wagging the entire time. Admittedly the creature was one of the oddest Harry had seen. Like Daxter, it seemed to be a combination of things. It was green furred, its belly made of scales and feet heavily clawed.

"I need you two to escort the kid over to Kor at the Power Station. He said he'd watch him, but I don't have time to take him over there myself or to baby sit him here. Oh..." his dark eyes landed on the green canine, "take the kid's croca-dog with you." He motioned disdainfully to the kid's pet, the dog growling as he approached it as if to pet it.

The Shadow chuckled, muttering sarcastically. "How sweet..."

_Croca-dog? _Harry didn't even want to know how that mix came about.

"What's the kid's story?" Jak asked, "Kor made it seem like the kid was important."

The Sage nodded. "I found the kid wandering the streets about two years ago. The amulet around his neck may mean he is the true heir to the throne." With a simple shrug of his shoulders, the elderly man continued, "He doesn't speak, so we can't be sure... Why are you wet?"

Jak, growing agitated, plucked at his blue tunic. "Long story..."

"What happened to his father then? The old ruler of Haven City? Baron Praxis couldn't have always been there." Harry inquired, drawing attention away from the soaked blonde as Daxter made an attempt not to grin at the memory.

The sage let out a regretful sigh. "That's another story for another time. The King and his wife lost their lives..." He cast his eyes sadly over the child. "Sad to think a child so young has so much weight on his shoulders."

Harry pitied the kid, he knew what it felt like, but the child was lucky to have been found by the Shadow instead of the man gunning for his blood. For the first time Harry wondered what sort of hell Voldemort had caused in his absence.

"And if you _happen _to lose the croca-dog..." The shadow trailed off, rolling his wrist with the suggestion.

At that moment the pet stopped and snarled menacingly at the Sage, as if he had understood exactly what the man had meant. Harry let out a laugh, but it was short lived as the dog took off down the alley – the boy following directly after.

"Hey kid! Wait!" Jak shouted, whipping around after the child.

Harry nodded to the Shadow as he took off after the odd group. "We'll get him there!" Rounding the corner, the sound of Jak's gun put Harry's own in his hands. A group of Krimzon Guards rushed the kid, demanding that all children were to be taken to the Baron. He lunged forward, fist pulled back, and released straight to the guard's visor. The man let out a scream of pain, the broken plastic embedding itself in his eyes.

Grabbing onto the boy's collar as he tried to go for his pet, Harry pulled him back to his side. "Stick close to either of us, alright?" he ordered pointing Jak and Daxter only a few feet ahead of them.

The boy nodded in fear, his shoulders trembling as the bullets flew in a flurry around them. He covered his ears as the shouting grew louder and the gunfire grew closer. He buried his face in the fabric of Harry's pants as Jak blew several guards away with a single shot of his Scatter Gun. The ground was starting to pile with bodies, dropped by either of the rebels or the viciously protective croca-dog that never left the boy's side.

Harry was startled by a loud cry from just over his shoulder, a guard dropping to his knees holding a bleeding stump of what used to be his hand. He looked down to see the croca-dog with an armoured hand pressed between its teeth, muzzle covered in blood.

_Damn... _

"Need a ride?" Daxter shouted over the gunfire with a large grin.

Harry spun to find Jak behind him with a zoomer, one hand on the wheel the other firing off a gun. He scooped low, picking up the child and practically tossing him and his pet into the back seat.

Daxter threw his hands forward, shouting at the top of his lungs. "Drive Jak, _drive!" _

Taking off at full speed, Harry was slammed into the backseat – the boy stumbling with a silent cry of alarm as he slid into the seat beside Harry. The croca-dog whimpering as it slid between the seat and floor.

A bullet grazed Harry's shoulder, his hand instantly snapping out to bring the child below the headrest. "Head down!" He fired blindly behind them, unleashing half a clip of his Blaster.

"You alright?" He asked looking down as Jak took the corners sharply. Other than a bit nauseated, the boy was unharmed. He even managed to given a small, terrified smile as he wrapped his small arms around his pet; the croca-dog curling itself around him protectively.

They reached the Power Station in record time, Jak forced to stop the zoomer just short of the ramp with a heavy hit to the engine. Harry, not exactly balanced, was shot into the back of the passenger seat. Swearing heatedly as he grabbed for the headrest to keep himself steady, glaring warningly to the driver.

Jak tossed him a lopsided grin, eyes locked on the area behind them.

"Jak! The kid!" Harry exclaimed seeing as the seat beside him was empty. The kid and the dog were running up the ramp towards the station.

"Shit!" Jak swore just as a patrol rounded the corner.

Climbing into the passenger seat, Harry pushed the elder teen out of the zoomer. "Go! I got this!"

The two took off after the child while Harry spun the zoomer vertical across the bottom of the ramp. Barely making it out before another round of bullets to the engine caused it to explode. The explosion sent a dozen of people running and screaming, creating a cover for the rebel as he ran towards the station doors. Jak had ushered the child in as soon as the doors opened, Harry barely making it through the closing doors.

Pausing a moment to catch their breaths, the child dashed across the walkway way to Kor's side. The elderly man looked down startled as the child grabbed onto his robes. He looked up, equally surprised to find the two breathless men standing there with Daxter sliding off Jak's armour.

"Samos told us to bring the kid to you." Daxter told him.

Harry wondered where Vin could have been, the engineer oddly absent. "Thank you," Kor nodded to them, "I'll be sure to keep him close."

Harry didn't notice the croca-dog growling loudly at Kor until Jak had subconsciously reached down to scratch it behind the ears. It stopped immediately, its tail wagging excitedly.

"Interesting..." Kor mused, "that insufferable mutt never liked anyone but the boy before."

The dog once again began to growl, but calmed as soon as Jak's hand rested on its head as he kneeled beside it.

"I'm just good with animals." Jak shrugged, giving Daxter a side glance. It took a moment, but once Daxter realized what he had meant, he growled animalistically at the blonde, baring his teeth in a mock warning fashion.

Harry let out a quiet chuckle, but stopped immediately as the dog began to growl at him. Its back arching as it dipped its head in obvious warning. Even Jak wasn't able to calm the dog and Harry had an idea why.

Daxter smirked. "Think he's territorial, Wolfie?"

"Sod off, Dax." Harry bit out, glaring down at the ottsel.

He knelt down, extending his hand out to the puppy. It shied away, whimpering with its tail between its legs.

"Just saying," Daxter commented, "I mean you being like you are, ya know?"

"And what way would that be?" Questioned Kor.

"Forget it." Jak stated with a fair bit of warning behind it.

Taking the hint, Kor turned to look at the screens beside him. "I hope we have enough eco to keep the Metal Heads at bay. During my travels in the deep Wasteland I saw some of the bigger ones. Awesome creatures." He waved his hand to emphasize his point, a hint of admiration lacing his words.

"We saw a big one coming out of a rift once!" Daxter stated, "he was uuuuggly!"

"Hmmmph," Kor grunted, as if offended. "I have some valuable information for you. The Baron is conducting an excavation at the Dig," he laughed, "he's still looking for that ridiculous tomb."

As he spoke the three noticed that the croca-dog had relieved himself on Kor's wooden cane before prancing off to the kid's side who scolded him, albeit giggling the entire time.

Kor merely shook his cane acting as though this was a common occurrence. "Frankly, I don't believe it exists, but you might as well go out there and disrupt his operation just in case. Knock down all the scaffolding at the site." Kor added, waving his staff dangerously close to Jak's nose, "that should set him back. Here is an Air Train pass to get you out there." He walked away from the two, the boy digging the pass out of his pocket.

Jak took the pass with a nod to the child who waved them off excitedly.

Harry practically leapt out of his skin as his Talkbox rushed from his pocket. He had almost forgotten he had the thing as Krew's greedy voice filled the speakers.

"_There are some Krimzon Guard crates out in the Port. My racing client says that you two have some skill with those jet-boards of yours. Get down to the Port and destroy all those crates! No one, not even the Underground, wants those crates activated. So get to it" _

With that order, the connection lapsed and his Talkbox collapsed on itself.

"... How the hell did he get my number?" Harry wondered as both his eyebrows shot towards his hairline.

Jak shrugged. "It's Krew, how does he get out his front door?"

Daxter let out a laugh, giving Jak a thumbs-up as Harry shook his head amused. It was Jak's turn to jump slightly as his own Talkbox appeared beside him. Torn's airy voice coming through an unusually static-ridden connection.

"_Jak, there is a disturbance in the Bazaar. I want one of you two to check it out." _

"Geez," Daxter groaned, "What is it today? I just wanna go to bed..."


	28. World's Worst Hero

**F/R: **_A hundred reviews!_

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semi-Automatic

Part Three: Dead Men

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**Chapter Twenty-Eight: **_World's Worst Hero_

Deciding immediately that he didn't want to get wet, Harry extended his hand out towards Jak. "Give me the Air Train pass, I'll deal with the Dig and you deal with the Port," he suggested, "You'll probably finish before me – So I'll meet you two near the Baron's statue." He hitched his thumb over his shoulder in the general direction of the massive stone effigy.

"The Dig is probably covered in guards," Jak reminded as he dug into his pocket, "think you can handle it yourself? You're not..." he paused as if searching for the right word, "very good with the jet-board."

That was putting it lightly, he _sucked. _

To save his pride, Harry put on a show of glowering at Jak and snatching the pass out of his hand. "I'll do fine. Lord knows, I don't fall into every body of water we come across."

Daxter let out a bark of a laugh, Jak glaring at Harry's back as he was already headed across the bridge that joined the security pillars to the main boardwalk.

In all honesty, the Air Train looked nothing like what the name should suggest. It was a shuttle transport covered in K.G logos. For a moment he wondered what he should do, but the back hatch slid open as the transport lowered to the edge of walkway. He hesitantly climbed inside, not so sure what to make of it.

"Please present pass." The bitterly familiar electronic voice said. He was starting to wonder if it was just all the same through this city. Be it an airlock, a prison torture chamber, or a transport ship.

Finding the slot for the pass to be right beside him, he slid the small card in.

"Access to Forbidden Jungle, Dig Excavation Site 023 Black Sector granted." The shuttle roared to life, jolting so hard to as it rose to the right Harry nearly lost his balance. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he set himself down on the bench and waited to reach his destination with his gun resting in his lap.

Three hours later, an incredibly stiff Harry had himself pressed to the outside of the transport waiting on baited breath for the patrol to pass. Once the last two men had gone inside the cavern, he crept out from behind the transport and down off the aero dock. The gaping mouth of the cavern was lit with what looked like generator supported lights strung up the sides of the walls. They flicked sporadically, but never went out.

Keeping himself low and under the view of a rock ledge, Harry found the source of the whispers he had heard since he had entered the cavern. Two men with their backs facing the entrance stood as guard. It was a slow day or these two honestly didn't expect trouble because they kept their posture relaxed and bored. One of them even going as far as to removed his helmet to light a cigarette hanging in from his lips.

"... Six more hours, then finally can get the hell outta here." He spoke, his voice somewhat muffled by the cigarette his lips were curled around.

"Say that again." The other agreed, his voice digitized by the suit relay.

Harry placed his Blaster onto the ridge, taking aim with the scope, and popped the trigger. One bullet raced through the unprotected neck of the smoker, another hitting the second in the arm causing him to jolt with the force and the momentum carry him through for the second bullet to glance his helmet. It forced it off his head, the armour clattering loudly on the sedimentary rock.

After a few moments, Harry picked himself off the floor and ran past the two into the drill site. He soon found himself greeted with a blast of heat and miniature dark eco bombs fired from every possible angle.

Harry couldn't have been ecstatic to feel the cords snap as he dragged the jet-board across the final pipeline. Landing on the opposite side of the upper most platforms, he kicked up the jet-board to slide it back onto the metal circle pinned to his jacket. Once it magnetized, he turned to face the unstable drill. It spun in a dangerous circle, causing Harry to throw himself to the ground to avoid being whipped in the face with one of the many cables he had disconnected.

What Harry didn't expect was the thing to explode.

_Talk about shitty workmanship..._ He thought picking himself up once all the shrapnel had fallen or embedded itself into the roof of the cavern.

Pulling out his Talkbox he let it hover over his hand. "Call Kor... The drills down." Harry announced once the tone connected.

"_Excellent work Harry!" _Kor responded with what sounded like a clap of his hands, "_You and Jak are proving yourselves to be very useful in our fight against the Baron." _

"Right," Harry said, "I'm heading back to Haven." Not wanting to hear anymore praise, he cut the connection off and began his trek back down to the cavern entrance.

In the heat of the cavern, the smell coming off the two bodies lying in the turn made Harry's face twist with disgust. The first time he had the pleasure of getting to know what that scent was one of the first few nights they had been out of prison. Having ducked into a trench to wait out an alarm, Daxter had cried out in terror pointing at an already half decayed body buried in the mud.

Wanting nothing more than to get back to Haven, Harry stepped over the bodies narrowly avoiding slipping in a puddle of blood. He would have carried on his way had the patch of brown leather not caught his attention. For a moment he checked if he still had his own pack and came to realize that it belonged to one of the men.

He crouched down for a moment, squinting at the picture that was protected by a thin layer of plastic. It was of a young blonde woman lying in a hospital room. A bundle of blankets in her arms a baby reaching up to touch the camera. Sliding the picture out as he stood, he found a second one behind it. It was a man with purple hair and K.G tattoos in dark green scrubs holding the baby in his arms. He couldn't have looked happier in his life.

Casting his eyes to the bodies in succession, he found that it was the second man he had killed in the pictures.

His stomach twisted slightly knowing that he had just made a woman a widow. Harry knew that it was probably not the first time, but he had never known for sure. He dehumanized the Krimzon Guards, making them just as much of a monster as the Metal Heads. _Things _that would kill him if given the slightest chance... He had always been driven by the memory of the all the times he had been at their mercy.

Just as he went to toss the wallet with the body, it groaned.

The rebel froze, his hand going for his gun. Just as his gripped the handle to pull it out, he felt his grip loosen. The man didn't move other than to shudder inside that ridiculous armour. His eyes didn't open nor did he move again after that. Against his better judgement, Harry knelt down beside him and felt his slick neck for a pulse.

It was faint and slow, but a heartbeat nonetheless.

And Harry was faced with a dilemma he never saw coming. He had the life of a K.G in his hands. Usual protocol was to shoot for the head and get on with one's life. That wasn't only his code, but most of the Underground as well. If the roles were reversed, Harry would be sitting rotting in a cell or full of eco bullets. He knew nothing about this guard. He could have been one of the security patrols in the prison; he could have just been some poor bastard in the wrong place at the wrong time. Harry had no way of knowing how corrupt or innocent the man actually was...

Because on the other hand, he had the life of a brand new father and husband in his hands...

_He might not even be able to survive..._ Harry considered, pushing the man onto his back. The bullet had gone clean through the padded joint of the armour and out the other side. He couldn't tell how serious the injury was with the padding, only knowing that the small lake of blood that had developed under both guards wasn't just his.

"The _hell _am I doing?" Harry hissed as he began to half drag, half carry the dying man from the cavern to escape the smell of his partner.

He settled on laying the guard flat out on the aero dock, the grate letting the blood fall to the grass below instead of pooling. The Air Train ran on a clock and Harry had set it to return within four hours, three of which had been eaten up in the cavern.

_An hour to realize what an idiot I am... _

Just as he went to unlatch the chest plate, his Talkbox burst from his pocket. _"Did you make it out a live?" _

Harry rolled his eyes, grunting in response. "Yeah, but I am going to be a bit longer."

"_Why?" _

_I dunno Jak, because I am trying to save the life of a K.G officer that I shot in the first place. _"I have to grab some supplies from the Hideout. Meet me at Krew's, he'll have something for us to do."

"_Alright. I still have to check on the Bazaar." _

Harry could rationalize his idea of taking the man back to the base to interrogate him for any information he may have to why the Baron was conducting the dig... If they hadn't already known. He could drop him off at hospital, but he doubted that he'd get through the front door without someone trying to arrest him. He could leave him here, but a Metal Head would be drawn by the scent of blood in a matter of moments...

_I'm barmy. Torn will probably have my ass for this – then the Shadow himself... _

After Harry had finished removing the armour from his arms, chest, and shoulders he was able to peel back the black fabric. He found a red tunic that was stained heavily with dark red blood; the bullet wound a crater right beside his collar bone. Harry realized that the second shot had knocked the man unconscious. He would have died instantly had he not been wearing the helmet.

Reaching into his pack he pulled out a roll of the bandages he once used to bind feet. No, they weren't clean, but it was the best he had. Seeing the combat knife strapped to his waist, Harry pulled it free of the Velcro strap and placed it beside him while he pulled the guard's arm up to bind the wound.

By the sudden hitch of breath, the man had woken up. "Wh... what..." He rasped, trying to pull himself away from Harry. His eyes narrowed on Harry as he stared on silently. "... You.. You're the human... the one with the ..." He trailed off, slipping in and out of consciousness.

"Yeah, I kinda knew that." Harry snorted but was surprised that the man had regained consciousness. He had seen people lose a lot less blood and be out for days. No less be coherent enough to notice he wasn't exactly your run of the mill teen.

_Thirty more minutes... _Once they were back in the city he'd leave the man somewhere to be found... Knowing the reputation of the Guard, he wouldn't be surprised if someone just left him there to die.

Once again making all this rather _pointless. _

Waiting a moment to see if the guard had lost consciousness, Harry reached forward to push his arm back up towards the railing. He was half tempted, as the man suddenly lurched to the side, to just cuff it there with the bronze cuffs that hung at his waist. He noted panic in the man's eyes once he realized that his armour was missing from the upper portion of his body. In a sluggish movement, he went for the combat knife that was supposed to be at his side.

"I have to at least bind the bullet wound or you'll bleed out." Harry told him simply.

"S...shot?" He breathed, brow knitted together in confusion. "Why a-are you..."

"Why are you here when you have a newborn kid and a wife?" He was beginning to think maybe he should just let him die. This was way too much work for a charity case...

That seemed to sober the man instantly. His face showed absolute terror, clearly thrown by how the Harry could have possibly known such a personal detail.

Just to be cruel, he shook the man's wallet in front of his face before tucking it into his back pocket.

"You g-go anywhere..." He rasped, chest rising rapidly causing the blood to practically pour out of his shoulder.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to _kill _them. They're the only reason you're alive right now. I honestly have better things to do than go about the entire city to kill your wife and child." Growing frustrated with the man's lack of cooperation, he did end up cuffing the man's arm to the railing. He struggled, groaning in pain. With a hard press to his shoulder, Harry got the man to settle and stay stalk still.

_Finally... _

"Y... You've killed... Left more than one child..." he spoke brokenly, face twisting every time Harry pulled the binds tighter.

"... Yeah I know," Harry mumbled, "... Then again, I know what it is like to grow up without a proper parents."

A long silence lapsed between them, Harry silently counting down the seconds till the transport arrived.

"... You don't look any o-lder than nineteen..." The guard suddenly said.

"Sixteen," he answered, using the knife to cut the last of bandages.

"What?" The man stumbled.

Harry looked him straight in the eye. "I'm sixteen."

Once again the two fell into a pregnant silence, Harry's eyes resting on the sky pleading for the ship to come early... He was _desperate _for it to come. "You never answered me," Harry suddenly realized, bringing his eyes to rest of the pale face of the solider that slipped in and out of consciousness. There was no answer and the teen half expected that the man had passed out.

"... Why should I?" He said without intent, a mechanical answer.

One that set Harry off in the wrong direction. His untamable anger reared its ugly head as he snatched the knife from his belt. He pressed it against his throat, cutting thinly into his skin as he hissed. "Because, you bastard, I'm showing you a more mercy than I _ever _received from the Guard." He pressed the knife harder, wondering if he should just slit his throat and be done with this. "I'm keeping you alive when I have every reason to just kill you."

Harry had always thought the most wide spread feature that the K.G shared was a lack of courage. It had been so easy to scare a K.G into action. However, this man stared back without a trace of fear in his eyes. He held his chin as high as he could, facing down his tormenter with pride.

"You won't be able," he rasped back, "to enter the city without someone noticing that I'm bound. Even if you did - I'm not going to give you anyth-"

Without thinking, Harry pressed his hand to his mouth just to shut him up. "Jesus Christ - I should just fucking leave you to the people in the Slums. Lord knows they'd do worse to you than the bloody Metal Heads. At least they'd just _kill _you." He glared down at the guard who glared right back.

He couldn't help but smirk, by god - even if he was an uncooperative bastard - Harry was beginning to at least admire him for his bravery.

"Just answer the question." He told him with an even tone, dropping his hand away from the man's mouth.

Harry could see the man's lucidity falling away from him. The uncontrollable twitch of his cuffed hand, the spasm reaching down into his chest, causing it to rise eradically. His eyes glazed, becoming distant and far away. "Because..." He attempted, but lost the battle with consciousness.

In a spur of childish anger, Harry was half tempted to mutter '_because isn't an answer,' _to the unconscious solider. Fortunately for the man's life, and Harry's sanity, the transport came seconds later. He dragged the solider in punching in his card to readmit him back into the city. He dropped him unceremoniously on the floor, the man making no further movement other than a groan when the transport hit a rough patch of air.

Once inside Haven City, and his tracer destroyed, Harry took a quick survey of the dock. It wasn't too late in the afternoon, but it was late enough that he had missed the daily rush. Most of the fisher boats had gone out and the patrol submarines were down in their dry docks.

Grabbing an unused four seater, he stashed the K.G in the back without much care. He was sure the man had woken up a few times only to pass out again when Harry may have _accidentally _dropped his head down on the side of the zoomer. He blindfolded the man and got into the driver's seat.

The entire time he drove the only thought that repeated was.

_I am officially insane..._

"Hiya Harry," Jonas called, grinning as he waved down the zoomer Harry brought toward the Hideout entrance.

With just a nod, Harry turned back to his rather... unusual cargo. He checked the pulse before he got out, making sure the bastard hadn't turned into a corpse. That would have resulted in someone losing a house...

"What you got-" Jonas started as he walked up beside the zoomer. He nearly fell back in shock, staring wide eyed at Harry's backseat. "Why the _hell _do you have a K.G!"

"Ya know," Harry grunted as he pulled the man out of the car, "I can't answer that. Just give me a hand."

"Are you insane?" Jonas shouted, burying his hands in his hair.

"Look, we can debate my sanity later - he's been shot. I'll deal with Torn and the Shadow's blow out - Just sodding help me!" He snapped loudly, baring his teeth.

Jonas muttered something Harry didn't quite catch as he grabbed the K.G's feet, walking backwards down the stairs. An Underground member had just started to come up the stairs when Harry shouted at him. "_Move!" _

He leapt to the wall, practically becoming part of it as the two came down, Jonas nearly dropping the man's legs when the door didn't open quickly enough. They may have had a chance of coming in unnoticed if Torn had not heard Harry yell. He was practically on top of them by the time they brought the man into the room.

"What the f-"

Harry growled. "S'not like he's even _conscious_ enough to know where we are -"

"Harry what is..." The Shadow started from deeper in the base, making Harry and Jonas cringe at the same time. He fell silent as he saw the bloodied package they were carrying. Unfortunately, the man had woken up. Once he realized he had been blindfolded, he lashed out. Jonas, unprepared, was kicked in the face with a metal plated boot. He dropped him, swearing loudly as he went to cover his nose.

Quickly, to subdue him, Harry bashed his elbow into his nose. He instantly went limp again, crumpling onto the floor with a now broken nose to go along with the shattered shoulder and broken collar bone.

"I going to get the medic," Jonas said clenching his face, disappearing into the elevator.

A tense silence passed before Torn spoke again. "You had better have a damn good excuse for this."

"He followed me," Harry lied smoothly, "I didn't notice until it was too late. Just get the medic to heal him and then send him on his way."

"... You've killed for less," Torn hissed, "have you completely lost it? You are treading on thin ice and now you have the great idea to bring a K.G _here _of all places!"

The Shadow was oddly silent through the whole thing. "I'll take responsibility, I've gotten rid of his transmitter - he has no idea where we are."

"Torn," the Shadow interrupted the rage that was ready to burst out of the tattooed man like a faucet, "He had his reason. I'll have Terza look him over and we'll deal with this later. I'm sure," he turned to Harry, "You have to meet Jak and Daxter. It would be best that you go do that."

Harry didn't need to be told twice.

"Those three are more trouble than they are worth..."

The Sage tossed him a weary smile, adjusting his glasses on his nose. "Really? I believe that they are worth way more than the trouble they cause." He stated matter-of-factly.

Torn stared down at the Shadow with a look of pure exhaustion, but eyebrows raised to ask him if he truly meant it. Torn, unlike the Shadow, couldn't see past the hard fact. Those two were dangerous, the only reason they still remained in the movement as long as they had. He had been working for the Sage, if not his friend, for a long time. There were certain things he didn't question Samos about, but at times... He wondered if, perhaps, being what he was gave him a certain knowledge that escaped a normal person's realm of understanding.

Sometimes, he wished he could see the world the way Samos saw it. Maybe then everything in the last two years would make some sort of sense.

"Why would he bring a K.G here..." He wondered aloud, staring at the man sprawled at his feet.

"People could say the same about me," Samos added kneeling beside him, "I brought you to the Underground didn't I? What of Onoh? Or several of our members?"

"We were willing," Torn snorted gesturing down, "does he look _willing?" _

"True," the Shadow mused, "but you do not know the intention of a person until you have asked them. I believe Harry had seen enough death today. Something made him change his mind about this man, perhaps, like you and Onoh, when the opportunity arises..."

The Shadow cast his eyes to the empty stairwell.

"He'll make the same decision as Harry."


	29. A Piece of Wood

**F/R: **_... you have no idea how long this sat on my hard drive... _

_**Reviewer Response**_

**Nostalgic Beauty: **Lately, Jak is never happy with what Harry does.

**M: **Don't feel guilty! But secretly I delight in the attention : )

**The Beckster: **Just a bit more, Beck, just a TINY, TINY few more chapters lol.

**123me321you: **I agree with you completely.

**

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**

Semi-Automatic

Part Three: Dead Men

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**Chapter Twenty-Nine: **_Piece of Wood_

Fisting the material of Jak's shirt, Harry stalled Jak in mid-step. He stumbled, jarred by the sudden force and reached out gracelessly for the wall to prevent himself from falling. Harry didn't release his grip on Jak's front until the K.G had passed them unaware he nearly collided with an already irate dark eco user. With another motion, he pushed Jak into the bar nearly knocking Daxter off his shoulder in the action. The ottsel made a joke at the expense of the guard, but it did little to ease Jak's mood.

Jak shoved Harry's hand away with a heated glare, lips curled back in warning.

"Precursors!" Daxter hissed lowly, "calm the hell down or just beat the hell out of each other! This is getting ridiculous."

Both Harry and Jak were ashamed to admit it was, but neither seemed to be able to do anything about it. They were both on edge and were at a loss to explain why. It was becoming so apparent even Daxter was growing frustrated with them.

Jak turned away from Harry, finding that Krew was glowering at the door, shaking his meaty fist. "The Baron sent his goons to harass me as usual," he spat, "Health violations! Back Taxes! Everyone wants a piece of me..." Krew ended in a despairing tone, his lips turned up in a pout.

Watching a full grown man, less Krew, pout was rather disturbing. The three of them could agree that the Hip Hog Saloon violated many different laws. Health and tax violations being the most tame on the list.

"Lucky for you there's plenty to go around!" Daxter jeered, not passing up a chance to insult Krew. It had become, Jak and Harry noticed, a pass time of his.

The two resisted the urge to laugh as Krew ignored him. It was obvious Krew found Harry and Jak's work for him worth the insults. "Destroying the cargo in the Port was more important than you know ey! I've got a new project going on and I don't need anyone snooping around my shipments."

"What... kind of project?" Harry urged, wondering if it was worth their attention.

"Let's just say," he grinned, "if everything goes as planned, I'm going to corner the market in Metal Head trophies!" Krew chuckled, his yellow teeth poking through his lips. "Anyway, I have another job for you three."

"Of course." Jak hissed lowly, so low Harry doubted he would have heard if he had not been standing beside him.

"An associate of mine, Brutter, works with me in the forced labour trade."

"You mean slave trade," Jak translated with a disdainful look.

"Freedom challenged," Krew corrected, "Lurkers are the cities low class labour. Brutter pays me handsomely to help him free Lurkers and get them safely out of the city. Ahhh, it lifts my spirits to help those in need... and I _need _his money!"

Every time Krew showed that he might have a little bit of soul, Harry was reminded that it was _Krew _he was talking about.

"LURKERS?" Daxter practically shouted, startling both Harry and Jak with his volume. "We don't like Lurkers!" His face twisted in disdain. There was no hidden humour in the action; he genuinely seemed to despise Lurkers.

"Yes," Krew nodded in agreement, "but you like gun upgrades, eh?"

Hovering directly in front of the three, Krew tossed them both new mods. Jak caught his in mid air, appraising it before looking back to the bar owner. Harry didn't bother looking over the mod before he attached it to his gun. As he packed it away, Krew ventured on in detail. "There are three Krimzon Guard Transports carry Lurkers to a 'project' the Baron has outside the city. Take them out and bring the Lurkers to Brutter's trinket stand in the Bazaar." He waved his fan at them, "they are just leaving the Palace. Get to it ey!"

Once they had cleared the door, Daxter commented. "Lurkers as slaves? Well that's a new one. Even I didn't know about that."

Jak shrugged a shoulder."With the arrival of the Metal Heads – I think Lurkers were the last thing on their minds."

"Lurkers?" Harry questioned.

"Ya know," Jak smirked, "I can't really explain what they are," he waved his hand to the side, "Just wait till you see one."

_~ Semi-Automatic ~_

With a shout of frustration, Avalon Praxis was left breathless in the centre of the K.G locker room. Her armour was thrown about the room, her gun in her hand as if she was about to shoot at it. For a moment, she stopped to collect herself. She let the exhaustion finally take over and lead her away from her barely repressed anger.

Her hair dipped over her shoulders in a stringy, greasy mess. The awful smell of the sewers lingered on her skin and clothes long after she had left the godforsaken hellhole behind. Her lips curled back in a snarl, knowing full well that tomorrow she would be down there again.

_How am I going to complete my real mission if I can't get any spare time? _She thought while collecting her armour, _I told Alec I was wrong for this mission! They didn't trust me enough to tell me everything! _

Her chest constricted slightly, a flash of betrayal that had been sitting sourly in her stomach for the past year. _... I actually cared. _

Practically falling down onto the metal bench, Ava pressed a hand gingerly to her face. It had only been a few days since that long, painful sit in the tattooist chair. The redness had long since disappeared, but the stinging still made her eyes water when she talked. Even though her skin was smooth, unblemished, Ava felt as if she was wearing a mask – as if she was _trapped _behind the blue patterns on her face.

She felt defeated.

Avalon, as a child, had made a solemn oath to never set foot inside this city again. That she would never stand willing or loyally by her father's side as her siblings did... that promise had been shattered the moment Alec Vine had called her to his office.

Leaning against her locker, a hand pressed to her cheek, Ava stared at the ceiling. She wasn't right for this and yet, here she was running a damn gauntlet of constant patrols, check point duty, and more Sewer dives than were healthy.

Her eyes narrowed in annoyance, not seeing the ceiling, but the first night she had come home.

_Ava had to force herself to look away, unable to meet her brother's eyes. Her heart beat violently in her chest as the thunder continued to roll behind them. Errol looked nothing like their father and very much like their late mother. Sasha had been a kind woman, someone to be proud of. It was startling, if not sickening, to see such a look of malice and contempt on a face that reminded her so much of a woman she barely had time to know. _

_It, somehow, tarnished Ava's memory of her. _

"_That mission would be?" She dared to look up, gaining an ounce of courage. If she could not face her elder brother, she rationalized, how as she suppose to face her father? A man she had publically humiliated and let him stew about it for ten years. _

_In a flash, Errol became something like a normal person. His face lost all seriousness, returning to that perpetual look of boredom. He turned away from her, much to Ava's relief, to settle back at his disk. "Out of curiosity, who were your partners in Invisera? _

_It was an odd question, definitely one that Ava hadn't expected. Then again, she told herself, she needed to keep herself open. Never let herself get caught off guard. Not here. "It's not important or relevant-" _

"_Just answer," he said shortly. _

_With a frown and a mild glare, all responded to with a smirk, Ava growled out. "A man named Jak, I didn't know his last name, and a human named Harry Potter." _

_Normally, when she spoke of her original sub-group, (which was not often) Ava was met with a look of surprise and disbelief. 'A human?' they would ask, stunned; Errol's reaction wasn't one of disbelief, surprise, or shock – but annoyance and scepticism. _

"_Really now?" _

"_Why?" She asked growing more frustrated, "they didn't even make it a year." She winced, knowing full well that the resentment in her voice was all too clear. It however, seemed to amuse Errol as he looked over her, a smirk twitching at the corner of his lips. _

"_This thing," she decided it was time to leave, "is not comfortable as you might remember." She gestured to her nearly skin tight graduate uniform. She now understood why Errol had looked so pained after spending nearly two days in it when he returned home from his stint in Invisera. _

"_You do realize," he said with a dark laugh, "I'm going to make your life a living hell?" _

"_Yes," she shifted nervously, "that mission?" She attempted to at least drag the conversation back on track if she could not flee so easily. Errol saw right through it. _

"_I'll call you when you're needed for it," he waved her off, "get changed and report to Lieutenant Davis." _

Ava had wondered often if she should have just gone straight to her father. She shuddered at the though. She had witnessed his anger first hand and even ten years later she did not want to be the target of his aggression. There was a reason he was known as a warlord.

Baron Praxis ruled with an iron first and he raised his children the same way. They were taught to be loyal, respectful, and never stray from his word less the punishment be severe. Ava had thrown all that to the wind those years ago. Screaming at the top of her lungs she'd be nothing like him, how she loathed him, and what she exactly thought of him.

And yet, here she was... A Krimzon Guard. Ava scowled at the thought of what he would say when he saw her. He would probably laugh.

This war was costing her a fair bit more than she was willing to give.

Dragging herself from her memories, Ava found herself staring at her blue bag. It was shoved in the bottom of her locker under the messy pile of Krimzon Guard issued wear. Spilling the contents onto the floor, Ava heaved her bag from the locker to sit it beside her on the bench. She shifted through her old Invisrin uniform, her sub-group training uniform, and several things that no longer held a purpose. At the bottom of the bag was a metal box. It was long and thin and keypad protected.

This was the whole reason she was here.

Absently typing in the password on the small pad, the box jolted open. She carefully took the harmless instrument in hand. It was, to look at, just a finely polished and shaped piece of wood. It reminded her of a choir conductor's wand that was used to guide out the rhythm and beat of the singers or orchestra.

Yet, for some reason, this was far more important than _that._

Ava took it in both hands, feeling the weight of it, and the running her fingers down to the handle. This was the first time she had opened it since she had received it from Alec. She couldn't name the type of wood it was made out of or discern why it was shaped as it was. It was a dark, rich thing with a handle the same shade. It was elegantly crafted, showing that whoever had made it had been very skilled in his artistry.

When she had been traveling between the jungle and the city, she could have sworn she heard a faint song from the box. A low trill of an exotic bird, but she had always just put it to her own exhaustion and nerves about returning. As she held it in her hands, she heard no song and she didn't feel anything that might resemble it having been infused with some sort of eco.

Placing the thing back in its protected box, she cleaned up her locker and swung the bag over her shoulder. Her real mission would have to wait till she had gained the trust of those around her.

After all, how important could a piece of wood be?


	30. Untitled

**Semi-Automatic**

Part Three: Dead Men

* * *

**Chapter Thirty**: _Untitled _

The first connected with the side of his face so suddenly, and hard, that it made his head spin. The guard stumbled, trying to regain his bearings while facing his attacker. His had fumbled for his gun, slipping twice before finally gripping the handle. The second came at him from seemingly now where, a kick to the back of the knees that sent him to the ground. He grunted in pain as another landed in his abdomen, the thick armour doing little to protect him. He rolled away from the next hit, swinging his pistol in every direction until there were no more bullets let to fire.

Silence echoed in the alley, the assailant having run scared. Once he had calmed himself, the guard removed his helmet to inspect the rapidly growing bruise. His fingers ran over the dent, the compressed steel easily bent by the force of the hit. Who ever had attacked him had the strength of a Metal Head.

"I don't get paid enough for this shit." The man muttered.

"No," an unbidden voice hissed, "you really don't."

With a flash of yellow the guard felt his hands go numb. The sensation of warm water dripped down from his face to pool in the collar of his uniform. He choked for breath, desperate to fill lungs that refused to no matter how hard he tried. He turned slowly, vertigo causing him to fall, and finally saw his murderer.

_He's just a kid..._

Harry watched, with little satisfaction, as the Krimzon Guard fell to his knees. He slumped to his side, eyes glazing as he hit the ground in a clatter of metal. With a heavy sigh, he packed away his weapon and continued on his set path to the Hideout. He picked his way into the crowd of Upper Haven, no one taking a second looking back at the teen. He wanted nothing more than to reach the base and relax in the silence of his room. Occupy his time with something other than useless errands for the Underground. Driving members to new safe houses or roughing up an informant that had second thoughts was not excatly the way Harry wanted to spend weeks of his life.

The meetings they were aloowed to attend weren't excatly as helpful as Harry and Jak had wanted. They were interesting, but useless in gathering information about the Baron. They consisted of reports, ways to get a child back onto a throne, and protecting said child until that could be done.

What did come to a surprise and concern was the list of new Invisera graduates that had enrolled in the Guard. Going by the years, it was the men and women they had trained with. Those few that went onto the Krimzon Guard would instantly recognize the both of them.

Other than that, it had been one hell of a boring month.

Harry was itching to get back into the Metal Head zones, ready to put his gun to good use. After the incident in the Sewers all tension between Jak and Harry had faded... But the wizard didn't like admiting that the Dark Eco had that much control over the both of them...

_'If it wasn't for the fact I needed to keep saving your ass maybe -' _

_'Don't get bloody hight and mighty on me, mate. I never asked for your help!' _

_'Would you have rather died?' _

_'Yes!' _

_"Harry?" _Jolted from his thoughts, Harry stared at the Talkbox that now hovered inches from his nose.

"Yes Jonas?" He answered mechanically, swatting the floating communicator away.

"_Torn's asking me to tell yah to head to the Coliseum to pick up some prepaired pistols and R.. from the mech in the West Wing. Her name is K-" _

Harry, in his slight annoyance, cut the teen off. "I've met her before."

_"Right - well anyway. Becareful, the R. are extremely sensitive." _He warned.

He found himself smirking as he wound his way through the abnormally crowded Upper Haven. "I won't blow myself up, if that's what you mean." Slipping between a bookstore and a zoomer dealership, he found an alley leading into an abandoned sector. Signs warning of renovation and weak construction making sure that Harry made his trek alone.

"_Get 'em here without a scratch or Torn will kill you," _Jonas laughed, _"Apparently it cost him twice as much 'cause they needed to be revamped with some extra bang." _As Jonas spoke, a door a few feet behind Harry slammed shut. He dismissed it as a homeless man and paid it little mention. _"Anyway, I got to get out. I'll see you at the next meeti-" _

Instincts told Harry to drop as a bang exploded from behing. It sliced the back of his neck and blew a part his Talkbox. The pieces hit the ground in a mass of shrapnel and sparks. Jonas's voice turned into a horrible distorted screeching wail as the connected began to terminate itself. His hand flew to his gun as he swung around, damning himself.

_Shit... _He knew that cologne.

"Not if I can help it."

~_Semi-Automatic~_

Jak let out a yawn as he stretched his arms over his head. Restless and bored inside the barracks, he decided to respond to Vin's panicked message. He had almost opted to leave Daxter sleeping on the bed, but knew he'd never hear the end of it. The upside being that Daxter's constant joking and general easy going nature countered Vin's intense paranoia. It was almost contagious.

He was causious yes, prehaps a bit paranoid himself, but the engineer brought it to a whole new level that Jak would touch with a ten foot pole.

As he expected he found Vin literally freaking out in the middle of the Power Station. He pulled at his grey, curled hair muttering under his breath so rapidly Jak didn't know if he was speaking words or not. "Jak!" He shouted in relief, "we've still go trouble at the Strip Mine! I think the Baron set me up! Actually... ah..." he ducked behind a consol, "I think everyone is trying to kill me!"

"What are you talking about?" Jak demanded slowly, already feeling the oncoming headache. Daxter mouthed the word 'loco' as he twirled his finger around his temple. Jak couldn't help but agree.

Vin didn't turn to face them, his hand flying over the touch-screen keyboard. "Those Eco Wells that the Baron had us drill? It seems he never intended to pipe them into the city grid!"

They pretended to know the severity of it.

"It doesn't make any sense!" He went on, "you know... Open Eco Wells will attract more Metal Heads!" he face twisted with dread, "You have to close the off!" Vin practically shouted waving his hands in the air. It was then that Vin noticed the absence of their third member. He dropped his hands back to his side, some semblance of calm coming back to the man.

"Where's Harry?"

"Out doing something for Torn," Jak responded, "as far as I know."

"Why?" Question Daxter as he flicked a loose eco sphere across the floor.

Vin shifted nervously. "It's probably nothing... But the K.G sent me an order to rewire a section of the city last week... It wasn't scheduled to come back online for a few more months... But besides that!" He switched, tone rising once again, "I got something for you!" He reappeared from behind a screen carrying a large box of metal spheres that Jak had never seen before.

"Now these plasmite bombs should do the trick!" He dropped the box in Jak's arms.

"Holy sh-" Jak stumbled, the weight of the container enough to nearly break his arms off. He lurched backwards, the lip hitting him square in the chest.

"Drop one into each well and, heh, the explosion will do the rest." He emphasized with his hands, a grin pricking the corner of his mouth.

"Hey be careful with that!" Vin cried out as a bomb slid from the top. Jak let out a breath as Daxter caught it seconds from the ground.

"Plasmite, huh? Cool." He stated as he shook it making Jak's stomach flip. "How does it work."

"Dax, put it –" Before he was able to finish, it spread apart exposing the red core plasmite inside.

"Aggggh! I believe this is yours!" In a panic, he tossed it wide to Vin.

"Hey! Not my problem anymore!" Vin declared volleying it back.

"No. Really, I insist!" He threw it, once again, back towards the engineer causing Jak to bit his tongue. He was praying to whatever god was still paying attention that neither fumbled.

"No! Jak's the hero!" Without thinking, Daxter tossed the sphere in Jak's direction. It slid into the box with a clang, igniting the whole lot in his arms.

"My bad..." Daxter muttered under a sheepish grin he tossed Jak's way.

"Great! No you have armed the whole lot! Don't move!" Vin shouted frantically.

Daxter froze mid step while Jak eventually staggered to a full stop.

"On second thought," Vin considered, "MOVE! Far away! Go through the Warp Gate and drop one bomb into each eco well! You only have two minutes!" He called after the teen as he made a dash for the portal.

_~Semi-Automatic~_

Harry groaned as he reached for his gun, his finger tips just brushing the metal of the hilt before it was kicked away. A booted heel slammed into the crater in his shoulder, jerking him violently back onto his back. Harry bit the inside of his lip, resfusing to give the man the satisfaction of a scream.

"You made the painfully easy, Harry." The Commander remarked with an arrogant bark of a laugh.

Consciousness was slowly slipping while the blood pool underneath him grew. He had already lost feeling in both his legs and left arm. He had to admit, for all his talk, he _was _brought down without much effort. One shot to each leg, in the centre of his back, and the shoulder left him crippled on the ground. He swore to God, if he lived, that he would kill the man who created semi-automatic pistols and exploding shells.

"Please," he rasped, "save me the 'bad guy' speech and just... kill me already."

The chances that a round to the head would kill him outright were slim. In response, the Commander dug his heel deep. He leaned forward, draping one arm over his knee in a far-too-casual manner. "Nah, you're not getting off the easy. I've got some use for you yet."

Harry's eyes burned, the dark eco surging frantically and weakly inside his chest. He found himself unable to find the strength to stand, let alone defend himself as the man grabbed his ankle and dragged him forward.

~_Semi-Automatic~_

"Man! This is soooo not coming out!" Daxter cried as he scrubbed his tail vigorously, the action rather useless as the green muck only matted further into his fur.

Jak, laying supine on his bed with hands folded behind his head and ankles crossed, gave a knowing grin. "I told you to duck, Daxter. You should listen more."

The ottsel snarled at him, lips curling back like a hissing Muse. "You should give me more than TWO SECOND warning before you blast open the brain of one of those frog things!" He wagged his finger menacingly, or at least as menacing as some of his stature could pull off.

Daxter crossed his arms over his chest in a huff, sagging his shoulders while muttering under his breath.

The frantic knocking on his door nearly made the already tense young man leap out of his skin. His hand slid to the top of his gun before he was able to stop himself.

"What now?" Groaned Daxter, "we just finished a load of shit! Can't we catch a freakin' break in this place?"

Jak swung his legs over the side of the bed, almost considering ignoring it.

"Jak, open up! It's Jonas!" The voice yelled continuously pounding on the door.

"I'm coming!" He replied in a growl, slamming his knuckles into the release lock. Jak was still amazed at how quickly his panic turned to irritation. The door slid back revealing a very concerned Jonas standing at his door. Before he could ask why, Daxter crawled onto his shoulder.

"What the _hell _do you want? We're taking a break!"

Jonas rolled his eyes, but barely bothered with him. "Have you see Harry in the last three hours? Please say yes..." He mumbled burying his face into his palm.

"No," Jak supplied, "I haven't." There was no immediate concern of Harry; Jak knew better than anyone else that he was capable of handling himself. "Why?" He felt compelled to ask.

"The last time I talked to him the transmission was cut off by a –"

"Did you think maybe he just didn't want to talk to you?" Daxter interrupted with a snort.

A slightly murderous glint flashed in Jonas's dark eyes. This wasn't an uncommon occurrence when Daxter dealt with people, but Jak preferred not to warn Jonas of the implications of acting on the urge to strangle the ottsel. Most men were deterred by it with a want to keep their heads.

"Go on," Jak offered.

"By a gun shot." He finished urgently.

Jak sighed as he leaned into the doorframe. "Some K.G probably noticed him, Jonas, Harry can handle a patrol."

Jonas nodded frantically in agreement. "I understand that Jak, but he was suppose to report the Coliseum to up a package for the Shadow. I called the mechanic and she said that he never showed up. Torn and the Shadow haven't been able to get in contact with him either..."

~_Semi-Automatic~_

If Harry did not hold the man in such contempt and loathing, he would have commended him for coming up with such an ingenious, albeit morbid, master piece. The simplicity of it was almost enough to make Harry wonder if the dark eco truly gave him an advantage or not. It didn't take a steel room with precursor metal chains to keep him still nor a machine to push the dark eco back. It took a wood chair, an old generator, and a yard of barbwire.

If the pain was not enough to make him pass out, the smell itself would. He doubted that the man would let him stay unconscious for long. He had been woken by electrocution, he had a feeling it would be his chosen method if he happened to fall unconscious again. The twisting and twitching afterward only let the barbwire dig deeper into his skin.

"I'm not going to tell y... you anything." His tongue felt heavy and dry, his words coming out far more slurred than he had intended.

Errol gave a small nod from across the broken table, his feet kicked up onto the slanted surface as he foot tapped out to a set rhythm. He admired the large combat knife in his hand, the serrated edge coated in a fresh batch of black, red blood. He ran his gloved finger down the smoothed edge, eyes lazily turning from the knife to Harry. "I don't expect you to."

Harry had very little dealing with Errol in the past; he just now understood why Jak hated this man even more so than the Baron. If this was just a taste of what he was like, he could all the more understand why Jak grew enraged at the mention of his name.

"What," Harry rasped, "was the last two hours ab-bout?"

If he wasn't going to kill him, if he didn't want him for information on the Underground – what was the point? Harry had to remind himself that this was a man twisted enough to consider this a pass time.

Errol let out a chuckle, a conceited grin breaking his lips. "Fun." He said simply and without remorse. His too-yellow eyes searched Harry's face, eying the cuts on his face. "I did some research on your condition." he started as he walked over to Harry, slicing another deep gash where the other had been.

_He's watching how fast I heal... _Harry realized as the man sat himself back down.

"Fah-Funny... You were the one who did it... If yuh-you need to research your own work... You are as stupid as you look."

Harry didn't have the satisfaction of a reaction from the Commander, the solider lazily reaching for his gun that lay on the table between them. Without even sparing a glance in Harry direction, he aimed and pulled the trigger. The yellow bullet burst from the narrow nozzle and sliced straight through Harry's throat.

Instinct told him to breathe despite the rush of liquid clogging his airway. His entire body jerked back with force, the spikes of the wire pressing deeper and ripping his skin with savage intent. The Dark Eco burned in his blood; the skin began to mend, stitching itself back together while other injuries bled more freely.

Errol tossed the pistol back to the table and continued as if nothing had happened. "I would think you'd want to know how badly Neverous screwed up." He raised a curious eyebrow as Harry pushed himself against the wire to spit the blood from his mouth. He choked and sputtered, wheezing with the effort.

"It seems," Errol ventured on while twirling the tip of the blade under his forefinger, "that the samples they collected for your testing were from a contaminated section of Ivory Jungle. Too small for their scanners to catch, but when Dark Eco is concerned – even a small amount can effectively fuck with someone."

"How far has the poisoning gotten?" He asked honestly not caring.

Harry took in a shuddered breath, the hole finally closing as he throat cleared. His eyes flashed yellow, nearly glowing in the dim light of the abandoned room. They died almost instantly, the dark too far spread in his body to attempt any sort of transformation.

_Not like I can control it anyway... _

"If I wanted information I would have taken someone less... accustom to pain as you." Errol laughed, "No, you are bait."

Harry growled deeply, the sound like a dull roar.

"Your regenerative ability is remarkable even by Green Eco standards. You would last longer with the most. Jak is too volatile towards me, too paranoid. I wouldn't have gotten a few blocks before he saw me coming. You, on the other hand, are far more docile. Insane, perhaps, but the Dark Eco wasn't what did it. " This time his eyes followed Harry as he moved to find relieve the pain.

"I... I am _honoured _you decided to track me down."

His eyes gained a hard look. "You two should be honoured by what we did. You should be on your knees thanking me for what we turned you into. What were you before, Harry?"

Harry was caught between laughing and snarling at the man.

"Plus," Errol smirked, his mood changing like switch, "You just _happened _to wonder down the wrong alley. That's the thing about you two. You are two of the most unlucky bastards I have ever met." He looked over him again. "I really have no interest in a half-mad human mutant. It's the eco-freak I want."

Harry dipped his chin, trying to get a sense of his options. Jak wouldn't come straight away, no, but he would eventually try to find him. Grinding his teeth together, Harry forced jumbled words into a coherent sentence. "You do realize... whe... when I get out of this... I'm going to kill you."

The grin never died and Harry resented him for it. The man stood, walked around to find himself behind Harry. Harry's chin was pulled back with a yank of his hair, a gasp leaving his lips as the wire dug into his chest. The knife pressed against his extended jugular while a voice hissed in his ear. "No, you're going to give Jak a message for me."


	31. A Boy with a Gun

**F/R: **_Yah, so... I apologize for all the missed letters in the last chapter. Tylenol 3 does not mix well with a headache and cold hands. Hopefully it did not make the last chapter too hard to read. I think I caught all of the mistakes in this chapter. Not too sure, but I'll apologize ahead of time. _

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Semi-Automatic

Part Three: Dead Men

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**Chapter Thirty-One: **_A Boy With a Gun_

"Really...?" Jak muttered thoughtfully as he surveyed the distressed and panicked teen. Three hours was a little long for Harry to be missing in action, despite his attitude suggesting otherwise.

Jak was not worried, curious yes, but no real alarm had settled in his gut. Jonas, on the other hand, was nearly beside himself.

Daxter slumped down over Jak's shoulder plate, one hand supporting his weight while he flourished the other. "Honestly, you're worried over nothing. Wolfie is a big boy."

The teen visibly relaxed, but only slightly. "Perhaps... it's just with the amount of men we've lost and the latest reports about the Commander... It's unnerving not knowing where one of our members is."

He berated himself for not paying any sort of attention at the meetings. "What do you mean reports?"

~ _Semi-Automatic ~_

Grey Isaac had lived a decent life as a Krimzon Guard Patrolmen. Isaac had made his way farther in the ranks of the Krimzon Guard because he knew the importance of keeping his mouth shut and his opinions to himself. Isaac was expected to turn his back to certain things and he did so gladly to preserve the life he had created. It was not perfect, but it was the closest that he had ever come to it. That was until the day he had been assigned to patrol the dig site nearly a week ago, until he had been shot by the human fugitive named Harry Potter.

Isaac did not understand why he wasn't bound for the mortician's table, but he was starting to wonder it was a blessing or a curse. For the days that the solider had been conscious, he was locked away in a room barely larger than his daughter's nursery. The first day he had woken to several guerrilla fighters standing protectively around their leader. The most wanted man in Haven City stood above him, wrinkled hands pouring green eco into the wound left by the boy's gun.

His head spun dangerously as all feeling below his neck was lost in a sensation of warm water. Instinct told him to fight, to swing his clumsy fists straight at the Sage's face and take on the guards waiting to pour their entire clips into his exposed chest. He had barely conceived the idea of going for a gun he already knew wasn't there when the man closest to him reacted. He pulled him from the cot, flinging him horizontal with a fist to his chin.

"Enough!" Boomed the Sage, his small stature belying his ability to command a room.

The rebel back away hesitantly, his hand twitching to land another punch in Isaac already swollen face. He motioned in a wide arch for Isaac to return to the bed, his eyes narrowing disapproving on the rebel who had been so eager to beat on man already on his knees.

Isaac did not take the supposed kindness from the Sage. It was a front, he had thought, to gain his trust. They had been warned numerous times how dangerous the Shadow was. How dangerous his eco abilities could be. How devious, manipulative, and cunning he was. Isaac believed all of this simply because this was a man that had escaped the Baron for years. Despite living in a city so controlled by the warlord.

It wasn't the Shadow that coaxed Isaac to the cot, but Torn. His approach was out of nowhere, taking his arm tightly and directing the dazed solider back. He stated that his stay here would be painless as possible if he listened.

With nothing to lose and nothing to gain; he allowed the defaulted Commander to guide him back. Two of the rebels left, leaving to the Sage, the Krimzon Guard traitor, and a man ready to spread his brain over the back wall if he so much as looked at the Shadow the wrong way. The look on his face was edged and cautioned, daring Isaac to make a false move with his finger held tightly over his gun trigger. No words were said as the Sage finished his ministrations.

Since that day he had been left to his own mind in the small room. He had expected more interrogation, but no one graced the threshold for nearly a month. He was fed twice a day, nothing extravagant – but more than he had expected as a prisoner of the Underground. For two weeks he sat uncomfortable and nervous, waiting for someone to come through the door to take what they needed of him. After the initial paranoia washed away, the boredom threatened to be the end of his sanity instead. He had attempted to speak to the woman that brought his water and processed meals – but she didn't give him a second look.

A part of him almost wished he would be interrogated, at least then he would have something to occupy the hours. Another part considered it the most terrifying thought he had ever had. Torn was part of this resistance – a man capable of getting information from the most iron-willed men.

When the door whined open, Isaac expected the woman to be delivering his last meal of the day. He would, again, try to get a response out of her. If only to hear a rejection of the offer to simply say he had heard another person voice. What the patrolmen didn't expect was the green bespectacled face of the Shadow.

"Lt. Grey Isaac, am I right?" He inquired with a warm expression. To Isaac's surprise, and relief, the Shadow had come alone. He didn't carry a pistol with him, only the twitching egg that sat in his green afro of hair. Isaac had to remind himself a Sage's ability didn't come from material things.

"How do you know my name?" Isaac's tone was scathing, manners forgotten easily when a man was stuck to only himself.

It seemed to be lost on the Sage as he dipped his chin to survey him over the rims of his thick glasses. "Torn told me that you two were acquainted at one time," he slid his glasses from their perch on his nose, cleaning them against the dark fabric of his shirt, "you attended Invisera in his second year. He was your team's Captain for the Wasteland Trials. So he says." The Shadow paused. "You were apparently one of the most skilled of your year, had a certain zeal and determination about the way you worked."

Invisera had been a long time ago for Isaac, but the memories were still fresh. "What do you want from me?" His patients were paper thin with the man, "You haven't sent your dogs into press anything from me – you don't starve me... I won't give you any access codes or information..." He trailed off, uncertain of what to make of the smiling man.

He shook his head as Isaac spoke, replacing his glasses on his crooked nose. "That's not what I want from you."

"Than what!" Isaac practically shouted, "What in Mar's name do you _want _from me?"

"To allow you to join the Underground. If you so wish." The Shadow offered simply, unfazed.

Isaac was struck speechless, his jaw slack as if he had been slapped in the face. "Are you _fucking _serious?" Isaac demanded, "You might as well just kill me now!" He barked sharply, spinning away from the Shadow. This had to be a joke, a cruel joke.

"Think about it," he told Isaac, "Think about the government you work for. The laws you enforce, the things you turn away from. The families that have lost everything to your Guard, the corpses in the gutters..." The Shadow closed his eyes, hands clasped behind his back, "if you still have believe so strongly in your mission, I will let you go."

"... Just like that?" Isaac barely dared to mumble.

"Just like that." The Shadow gave a confirming nod.

"Why?"

"I'm curious," he suddenly spoke, "what Harry asked you that made him leave you alive. He is not a man to help the soon-to-be-dead. I see no reason for him to with what I know of his past."

Isaac thinned his lips. "... He's not a man. He's a kid with a gun."

"Yes," the Shadow chuckled lightly, "I suppose he is."

~_ Semi-Automatic ~_

It was very rare, but sometimes they happened. Even to someone that lived in Haven their entire life, it was an occasion to have a day like this. Something eventless and normal – the days Vin loved the best. An hour or two to mull through the mounds paper work had put to the side in lieu of helping the Shadow with his work. It may have made the already jumpy man a sack of frayed nerves, but he knew the importance of relieving the Baron of his position of power... Even if it meant putting his very loose grasp of sanity on the line.

"Vin!" Commanded a shout from his door.

Vin leapt out of his skin, dropping the stack of papers at his feet in a fluttering mess. Quickly glancing to the door, he found himself relaxing as he recognized the blonde coming towards him. For a moment the boy had sounded like a man twice his age and twice the presence. Another followed in behind, a boy that Vin had never seen before. He knelt down to collect the scattered papers at his feet, muttering disdainfully under his breath. "Geez, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Daxter slid from Jak's shoulder, eye level with the kneeling engineer. "Maybe some other time, Vinny-boy." The unusual seriousness in the creature's voice sent bells ringing in Vin's mind. Silently he continued to collect his papers, ignoring the shaking in his hands. Instinctively he knew what ever was going to come from Jak's mouth would put him in a dangerous position with the Baron.

Sometimes he wondered why he agreed to the little green man's deal three years ago.

"You told me," Jak started, "the K.G had you wire power into some old buildings?"

"Why?" He turned his eye on Jak, "what happened?"

"Harry might be in one of those buildings," the second boy responded taking a step forward.

"Wha-" Started Vin, confused.

"Look," Jak shook his head, "Just tell me where it is!" He demanded harshly.

Daxter quickly spoke up, stepping between Jak and Vin. "You can help us right?"

Standing, Vin turned his back on the trio, placing down the haphazard stack of data beside his main computer. "They had me wire into several blocks, not just one." Pressing a large button on the console, he pointed to the three dots flashing on the map of Upper Haven. "All of them are on the older C-Station Grids that run on parallel circuits." He dumbed it down as far he could, not considering them idiots, but clueless when it came to conduits and electrical pathways.

"Because of this," he offered, "I can't locate a specific grid using more than the others. No matter the output, the take and give the same amount as the others... I can work on it and get back to you?"

A long, uncomfortable silence filled the station. Vin shifted nervously, tempted to ask what sort of danger Harry was in. By the look on Jak's face, he doubted it was something tame.

"Maybe," the dark haired boy finally the spell, "that K.G we have locked down on H level will know something..."

"What?" Daxter asked surprised, what were considered his eyebrows flying up. "You have a K.G locked up in the base?"

The young man nodded. "Harry brought him in a month ago. He has been in confinement ever since he got there. No one is allowed into the room – but if we talk to the –"

Jak was already out the door before the boy finished his sentence, Daxter on his heel and the door already closing behind him. Vin and the boy shared a look before he too went flying out after the pair. As Vin turned to his computers, hands already feverishly at work, he prayed to Mar that the Krimzon Guard knew something... For his sake as much as Harry.

~ _Semi-Automatic_~

Pain exploded behind Isaac's eyes, the wicked crack nearly deafening as his head rebounded off the cement wall. Hoisted by two incredibly power arms, he tried to see past the sudden delirium while fending off the wrist bound for his throat. It was like staring at death, eyes to full of contempt and fury that he truly believed the boy would kill him.

As to why, Isaac was at a loss.

"Jak!" Cried another just beyond the now open door, a blur of orange leaning into the doorframe breathless, "Jak! What the hell are you doing?"

_Jak?_ Isaac echoed, knowing it only to be the name of the dark eco experiment who had escaped along with Harry... _Both of them are just children... _He was pulled forward roughly only to be slammed back with intent; knocking all air from his lungs.

"You'd better be able to give me something useful." Jak grunted, his lips curling back in a snarl.

"O... Or what?" Isaac rasped through panting, "Are you going to kill me?"

As he was sent across the room in an enraged fury, Isaac realized his mistake. Pressing his back against the wall, choking on the blood pooling in his throat, Isaac dared to raise his eyes back to the boy. The blue was constantly swallowed by black, what seemed to be electricity crackling behind his teeth as his chest heaved.

"It's a definite possibility." Jak warned.

Behind Jak, where the other boy stood, Torn appeared. Isaac considered this the only time he would ever imagine he was thankful to see the man's face.

"Jak what the _fuck _do you think you are doing?" Torn spun the teen to face him, hand fisting the material of his blue shirt. Jak stared the man down without hesitation, teeth grinding together like a wild animal ready to strike. He bend Torn's wrist easily, pain visibly crossing Torn's face in the action. Spinning back, Isaac's heart was now in his throat.

"Errol – what has he been doing the last month?" His voice dipped in tones, a brutal ferocity barely concealed.

Isaac found his mind drawing a blank. He was a patrolmen – what did the boy think he knew about what the Commander did? The only times that Isaac had the _pleasure_ of being in the company of the Commander was when he had been promoted.

He came at Isaac again, fist rearing back to land another savage hit. He flinched, covering his face against the oncoming assault.

"_Stop!" _Torn growled out furiously. His arm wrapped around Jak's neck, yanking the small teen back while a pistol was shoved into his lower back. "He is not your _fucking _punching bag!"

A creature clambered onto Jak's chest, facing Torn with a stricken look. "He might have Harry,"

Realization flashed across the ex-soldier's face, releasing Jak to push him away with force. Isaac scrambled away from the teen as he landed against the wall feet from him. "There was no definitive proof from the communication, Jak! The voice was far too distorted to tell and this man," he pointed his pistol at Isaac, "has been locked up here the past month! Think before you act, Jak."

"I heard his voice enough to know it was him, Torn." Jak responded acerbically.

"You cannot just go off-"

"Harry is my brother," Jak interrupted, "I don't care who I have to kill – but I will find out where he is. He would do the same for me."

"H... Harry?" Isaac clarified as he pushed himself onto his hands and knees, "Th... The kid that brought me here?" He wasn't certain at the moment, his head far too rattled to discern right from wrong.

"Yes, he was."

"B... Before I was reassigned," Isaac fell back down, rolling onto his back. "The Commander took extended trips in and out of the abandoned sector I was patrolling... The old D-Sector in Upper Haven."

Grey Isaac owed Harry for his life despite it all. What little he could give, helpful or not, he would give it gladly only to repay his debt.


	32. The Forty Orb Deal

**F/R: **_I changed A LOT in this chapter. Let me know if it flows better, yah? _

_Update! *dramatic squee*_

**ChineseIsGreek2Me:**_ :P _

**Nostalgic Beauty: **_*extends Update* _

**Hanzo of the Salamander: **_**... **__I... I think that is the most I have ever had in a review from you... EVER. This is amazing... O.O _

**The Beckster: **_I was attempting to make it even more skin crawling, the first draft Errol sounded like a poorly articulated teenager... on crack. _

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Semi-Automatic

Part III: Dead Men

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**Chapter Thirty-Two: **_Forty Orb Deal_

"_Oh c'mon!" The brunette laughed, nearly yelling over the roar of the lunch crowd, "You can't believe that! Seriously?" Her slim hand wound around the glass, a smirk playing on her chapped lips. _

_Jak shrugged a shoulder, his hands occupied with pressing an ice pack firmly to his right eye, the skin a nasty combination of yellow and purple. "I do." _

_Ava rolled her topaz eyes, thinking the boy the most absurd thing in the world. She gulped her water, nose wrinkling at the foul taste. Slamming the glass back onto the table she declared. "I bet you twenty orbs that you are very, _very, _wrong." She leaned forward on her elbows with a sly grin. "When we see each other on the outside, I'll prove you wrong." _

_The blonde didn't answer, his eyes filled with a sudden turmoil._

_Harry, dropping his fork into the bowl loudly, jumped into the conversation. "Sure. Why not? I'll take that bet." _

_A grin broke Ava's lips, her hand extended to seal the deal. He shook is firmly, chuckling to himself while she turned to Jak expectantly. He cast Harry a hesitant look, but the wizard only stared back blankly. He took her hand reluctantly, clicking his tongue as he did so. "Fine, fine. Twenty orbs it is." _

_Triumphant, Ava stood from the table. "It's a deal! I'll see you two later. I want to grab some water time before the breaks over." With that she quickly wound her way through the gauntlet of lunch tables and bodies to the exit. _

"_What?" Harry asked accosted, Jak's look speaking volumes from across the table. _

"_You know what." He told him shortly. _

_Harry let out a sigh, finger circling the rim of his glass. "Hey, I'm tired of being the cynical one. Let's play role reversal and I'm the one who is going to save your ass from some rogue Metal Head in the Wasteland." _

_Jak laughed. "Not likely." _

"_Oh, that hurts..." Harry sneered, "I'm feeling optimistic today..." With a harsh swallow, he finished the last of his protein-laced water, "something might happen in the next six months before you leave... Never know. If not," he shrugged, "its forty orbs that you don't have to worry about losing." _

"_Forty?" He asked incredibly, "You can't tell me you believe her?" _

_Harry swung his leg over the bench with the ending bell, a smirk tugging at the corner of his scarred lips. "Hey, you are from the past. She's not from the past and lived in Haven. Just being logical Jak." _

_~ Semi-Automatic ~_

A hard punch to the face startled Harry from the dream. He grunted in pain, the force of the hit digging the barbed wire, if possible, deeper into his skin. He could already feel, in places, the wire scrap against bone. Harry felt a hand grab his chin, ruthlessly turning his head to its original position. The Commander, upon seeing Harry awake, released his chin and stepped back towards the open window.

Drifting in and out of conscious, Harry considered keeping an intelligent thought an achievement. _Breathing,_ itself,was quickly becoming a complicated and almost wasted labour with a metal wire lodged in his windpipe.

_Got to think of... some... something..._ Harry had never felt so physically weak in his life. Every ounce of energy was gone leaving him frail and wheezing. Every plan was quickly shot down by the simple fact that Harry had no _strength. _Not all battles relied on strength, true, not all fights were won with fists... But what else did Harry have at his disposal? He had no plan, no gun, no way to fight a man just as experienced, if not more, than Harry, himself. Summoning the strength to glare at the pool beneath him, Harry wanted nothing more than to wrap this wire around the Commander's throat and pull. _That _didn't require much... But it needed him to be out of the chair...

_What else? _He demanded of himself. _What else is there?_

What else did he have left after his strength, wit, and gun were gone?

Staring at his beaten reflecting in the red surface, he considered himself the most pathetic thing he had ever seen. He _hated _weakness, loathed it with a passion – one of his many flaws.

_Wait... Red? _Harry brought himself to a reeling stop; crashing his train of thought rather violently. The gears backed up and spun quickly as he tried to process why his _red _blood struck as him as so wrong.

_Where is the Dark Eco? _He questioned himself hazily. In the moments he had been caught off guard, where his blood had been spilt, it was not a candy-red but a dark black mixed with traces of glowing purple and blotches of red.

Unable to catch himself, Harry found himself distracted by his reflection again. His eyes flicked over the small scars that lead down under the collar of his shredded shirt. He couldn't be bothered to remember how he got most of them, only knowing it was probably painful. They all marked something he had overcome, an experience he'd rather forget – even the damned lightning bolt scar had meaning behind it. Though he doubted magically cursed scars one-upped the myriad of slashes on his ches-

_Magically cursed scars, _he repeated, knowing there was something important in it. _Magically... magical... magic. _

He mulled over the word, not truly understanding why it stuck with him. Harry and Magic hadn't been said in the same sentence in a long time. It had been nearly two years since he sincerely considered himself a wizard. Magic had practically abandoned him when he needed it the most. It left him to the mercy of Neverous and his twisted experiment. It left him and Dark Eco had taken up its place. Giving him the strength and ability to survive the gauntlet that life decided to chuck him into.

Magic was a ridiculous thing to him now, a foreign concept that didn't need any more thought.

To top it all off, the Dark Eco was now gone. The thing that roared in his blood and convinced him to belittle and attack his closest friends was gone.

_Maybe... _Harry considered,_ magic? _

His eyes were driven to the broken table, where Errol's bloody knife laid. Flicking up across the room, Harry noted the man was still deep in a mute conversation – He was completely unaware of Harry for the moment. Harry suspected he had his fun, it was business time now.

_Bastard... _

Bringing himself back from mulling over how many ways the Commander was an asshole; Harry placed his tenuous focus on the topic of magic and how he could use that forgotten knife on the table. Not that it was much of a knife... Dagger was more suitable word.

Insecurities began to flood Harry's muddled mind as he stared at the soaked weapon. It had been a long time since he had cast a proper spell... Did he even remember what it felt like? How could he pronounce the incantation? Did being almost certain it wouldn't work affect it?

What spell would he use?

Harry, even if most would dispute, always planned his actions. Perhaps not the event that led him into situation, but there after he always calculated his next move. Jak was the reckless and head strong one, taking on what Harry was sure to be a disaster from the start. He did not like having no plan and taking such a gamble.

Could he even cast wordless _and wandless _magic?

His heart sped in his chest as he attempted to remember what it felt like the day he had accidentally silenced Daxter. He knew the incantation for it, he knew how it felt to cast it with a wand, and he knew what it was suppose to do... In that situation he had never said it, never even moved his hand to mimic a wand.

He had _wanted _Daxter to be silent... and with a screaming headache that followed, he had been.

What did he want, then? He wanted _out _of the chair and Errol to drop dead where he stood... But he doubted he had the energy to produce that result. He wanted to drive his own knife into Errol's neck with his own hands, _but _his hands were bound in three knots of barbwire.

_Knife in neck... _He pieced together, _knife... floating?_

It finally broke through.

_The Levitation Charm._

Simple, effective, and able to do what he wanted it to do. He prayed to God that he wasn't wasting what little he had left on a fruitless attempt to do the impossible.

Harry began to recite the incantation soundlessly with his lips, ignoring the voice that screamed it wouldn't work. He poured his _want _into the idea of the knife rising from the table and towards the lounging Commander. He had no idea how long he chanted the words, but he didn't relent, adrenaline flooding him as if a dam had broken inside. He didn't stop or hesitate as the combat knife began to twitch, the subtle twitching turning into rattling, and that rattling turning into a full blown toss. Harry felt as if the knife had appeared behind him and lodged itself into the back of his skull, but even then he didn't stop. Even as blood gushed from his nose, he didn't allow himself to give into the headache.

"_Wingardium Leviosa." _

Propelled by an invisible hand the knife shot into the air suddenly. It wobbled unsteadily the air as it gained height, dropping twice before settling at the height of the Commander. Harry's only focus was guiding the weapon as his eyes went to Errol. It followed effortlessly after, gaining speed as it darted through the air.

It seemed that Fate was not done laughing in Harry's face. Errol, upon hearing the rasped spell, turned. He only had a fraction of a second, but he used it well. The knife sliced the fabric of his coat, lodged in the communicator in his hand, and soared out the window.

~_ Semi-Automatic_ ~

"The D-Sector is huge," Shouted Jonas, his voice nearly lost in the screaming of the stressed engine. His hands gripped at the dash in an effort to stay in his seat, Jak taking his turns at a run, "Can you trust what the K.G said?" Even Jonas could tell that this wasn't a promising situation. The D-Sector included most of the Slums, the Water Slums, and parts of Upper Haven. There were only two possible conclusions; neither really finding purchase in Jonas's mind.

Daxter, desperately clinging to Jak's shoulder plate, was the only one to show that he had heard Jonas's concern

"We'll find him," Daxter suddenly stated, a false confidence in his words.

Jonas didn't know of the creature was reassuring himself or not.

Upon reaching the edge of the D-Sector Slums, Jak was out of the zoomer before it had stopped. The engine emitting a cloud of smoke from beneath the hood, sailing on afterburners into a wall as Jonas leapt out of the backseat. Coming up beside the blonde, the tense silence was interrupted by the whine of Jak's Talkbox.

"What is it?" He grunted, batting the hovering communicator from his side.

"_It's Vin,_" The nervous Station Operator replied quickly.

"You got some good news for us, Heart-Attack-Waiting-to-Happen?"

Jonas marvelled at Daxter's ability to keep a comical edge in such a dire situation.

"_I bypassed the grid and found an odd amount of electrical activity on the fringe of the D-Sector – Upper Haven," _He clarified, "_It maybe some bugs eating through the wires, but it's the best I can get for you." _Vin finished apologetically, _"I'm sorry Jak." _

Jak didn't respond as they marched into an abandoned part of Upper Haven, the buildings boarded and caution tape across every divide. While searching for any indication Harry had been there, Jonas heard Daxter whisper into Jak's ear.

"_It's been three hours... How can you be sure the K.G wasn't pulling your leg?" _

"Because," Jak eventually answered, "there isn't anyone else."

"Right," Daxter said loud enough for Jonas to hear, "... No one would lie to your face when you get all dark like that. You were ready to rearrange his face."

Jonas, stopping several feet behind Jak, took notice of a streak of dark red paint on an alley wall that was covered in caution-tape. At first look, the teen assumed it to be red paint, but upon further inspection he found different. As he traced it with his finger, trying to decide where to go from here, his finger slipped and started to burn. Startled by it, he brought his hand up to find that his fingers were coated with the 'paint'. It sizzled on his finger tips, burning the first layers of his skin before he smothered it in his shirt.

"Jak!" He called, waving him back over. "Look," he gestured to the streak and the path, "I think its blood." He added grimly.

Daxter squinted while Jak tested it himself. Before his fingers brushed the surface, a spark of dark eco leapt between the wall and his hand. Once again, Jonas was forced to catch up to Jak as he burst through the tape into the dark alley. When they stumbled out of the other side, the light blinding Jonas for a second, he found Jak standing stalk still.

"I... I don't like the look of that..." Gulped Daxter, Jonas almost wishing he hadn't walked around. He felt his stomach flip, not accustom to the sight before him. It looked as if someone had taken buckets of dark-red paint and splashed it about the centre. It was splattered against the doors and walls, some even reaching the street lamp above them.

_It looks like a bomb went off... _"... Jak-" Jonas started breathless.

"Doesn't smell right," The eco-user muttered, his eyes following the trail to a door left off its hinges.

Horrified, Jonas nearly shouted. "What the _hell _is it supposed to smell like, Jak? There is an enough blood here to be certain that Harry is-"

It wasn't Jak that reacted, as Jonas expected, but Daxter. His weasel like face twisted angrily, standing tall on Jak's shoulder. "Don't finish that sentence."

Jonas stared back unapologetically. "I know you two have some sort of powers and all... But that is a lot of blood. I am being realistic-"

"S-" Jak started irately, unable to finish as a window above them exploded. A knife sailed down onto the street below. The wicked looking thing a K.G issue combat knife with an issued communicator lodged against it.

Jak, gun in hand, ordered. "Stay here."

"No way in hell!" Jonas argued stepping forward, ready to charge in just as Jak was.

"Stay out here, Jonas!" Jak grunted, shoving him away from the door way.

Unafraid, Jonas growled. "Harry is a friend of mine, Jak! You're not the only one who cares about what happens!"

For a moment the look on Jak's face softened, as if that's all he needed to let Jonas through. "I don't know what's up there," he spoke sombrely; "I have no idea what's going to happen. Stay out here, it's way too dangerous for you –"

"And it's not for you?" The dark haired boy bit out.

Jak turned away leaving the question unanswered.

~ _Semi-Automatic ~_

Despite the head-splitting headache, Harry found himself smiling at the bewildered Commander, disbelief written over every contour of his face. "What the _fuck?" _

Harry rasped triumphantly. "Wi-wizard asshole - didn't you read t-the file?"

Errol's response was lost in the explosion of the old door, the rotted thing crashing in a splash of Harry's blood. The Commander's surprise was replaced with the arrogant grin that Harry's had learned to hate. "Always with the big entrance, Jak?"

The urge to yell at Jak to leave was lost in the gratitude that filled Harry. Daxter swore at the sight, Jak eye's only holding him for a second before bouncing back to Errol. It was then Harry was suddenly away of the cold metal pressed against his temple. He grunted in pain as the wire dug even deeper into his throat, Errol easing his head against the tension. He had no idea how much farther it was until it severed his head from his shoulders.

"So, how'd you find me?" He asked, feigning curiosity.

Jak, not daring to move, snapped. "Doesn't matter. Let him go."

"It does matter," Errol scolded, "Have you gotten smarter? Or was it just dumb luck? I'd say dumb luck."

Jak growled dangerously, dark eco dancing across his hands as the rage began to build. Daxter cast his eyes between the two before watching Harry's only to see if he was still breathing once his eyes closed.

Errol tsked, pressing the gun with more force. "Any closer and I add his brain to this mess." He warned.

The teen clenched his fists at his side as he clamped his eyes shut, frustration mounting. "Can't you just leave us the fuck alone?" His eyes shot open to glare at the Commander. "Haven't you already gotten what you want? I'm here now, just let him go!"

Errol shook his head amused. "Not quite how is works, Jak. But that's very heroic of you. He'll probably die before they get here, but you'll be right back in your old cell." He smirked. "One Eco Freak is good enough. I warned you last time, Jak – you didn't play by the rules. So I won't either."

The reference was lost on Daxter, but it sent Jak into an uncontrolled rage. A cry of fury quickly devolved into a roar, shaking the very foundation of the building. His gun was thrown from his hand, Daxter jumping from his shoulder in fear of the dark eco that came out in dangerously surges of wild electricity. Daxter lost the two in the darkness that enveloped the room as a rogue surge of energy broke the only existing light. He could hear Dark's growling and the sounds of blood splashing and grunts from the Commander as he fended off the eco creature. Dark eco crackled in bursts, giving Daxter a basic distance between himself and Harry.

Slipping and sliding, Daxter crawled almost on his belly through the mess. "Harry!" He called out desperately as the room fell into the same darkness again. There was no response, but Daxter's fumbling hand touched his leg. He pulled himself to his feet, barely daring to touch what he could only assume to be a corpse. "C'mon on, short-ears," he hissed, "don't be going out like this."

The wire had dug so deeply in places that Harry's skin had re-grown over it; trapping it inside the human and making Daxter's job far more difficult than he could have thought. An idea struck Daxter as he found the junction of the wires.

~ _Semi-Automatic ~_

"Son of a..." Jonas trailed off angrily, the wall beside him getting brunt of his frustration. This was absolute bullshit, but Jonas was not stupid enough to take Jak on. He was not helpless and it was not like he didn't know how to handle a gun either. He had been trained to fight since he was fifteen years old. _Torn _trusted him enough, even considered Jonas's talents in hacking and theft an asset to the Underground. Doing one mission with Jak, he was a step behind. Useless compared to the brutality and insurance that the trio offered.

A static hiss jarred Jonas, spinning the boy around quick enough to leave him with whiplash. The sound emitted from the broken communicator, the combat knife embedded in the speaker. Once he pulled the impressive thing from it, the voice immediately became clear.

"_... ETA ten minutes, Commander, the prisoner transport and several Hellcats are en route." _

"Fuck!" Jonas shouted, dropping the communicator, and ran towards the open door. Taking the stairs three at a time, Jonas could just make out the sounds of fighting. A large thud, a gunshot, and a cry of pain that sounded as if it came from some sort of beast sped up the boy's pace. The sound of splintering wood and _splashing _from the darkness beyond the rotted door sent him through without a hesitation.

The smell hit him like a brick, the sudden loss of traction nearly sending him face first into the floor. He could not make out a thing, the darkness far deeper than it should have been inside one room. He could hear the sounds of a fight, hear a deep growling of a metal head, but he could not see it. Crashing and breaking wood broke out from nearly beside him, a body hitting him hard. The person spun, his hands grasping both shoulders and _tossed _Jonas at the growl. The boy, with little presence of mind, latched onto what felt like the lip of armour. "_shi-" _The man hissed as Jonas dragged him right along. The brush of heated skin across his arm, the contact was broken with what sounded like a demon rushing the second body.

The room ignited in a storm of dark eco, giving Jonas only a brief second of sight. A creature attacked the Commander of the Guard. His armor shredded, face bloody, and gun in his hand as he slammed the hilt into the creatures jaw. Darkness fell again, an enraged roar echoing through the room.

"JONAS!" Daxter's voice cried from the far right, "Jonas, get your ass over here!"

Jonas found himself unable to response, his body locked in such a terror he didn't know if he was standing or not.

"JONAS!" Daxter shouted again, a rogue gunshot nearly lodging itself in his forehead. Lurched from his state, Jonas threw himself in the direction of Daxter's voice. His hand connected with something sharp, cutting his palm wide open.

"Dax?" He called out, clenching his hand to his chest, the other groping around with as much caution as he could muster. A furry hand grabbed his, guiding the gloved fingers to a knot of barbwire, a cold mass just beyond it.

_A corpse? _He dared to think that Harry was the man trapped inside the wire.

"I can't get the rest!" Daxter said, panic and urgency clear in his voice. Blindly, Jonas began to detangle the wire. When it was release, the body inside fell awkwardly forward, instinct drove Jonas to catch him. The wire digging into his exposed arms and shoulders. He cried out slightly, the adrenaline doing very little too dull the pain.

"Jonas!"

"I'm fine!" He grunted, trying to find a foot hold. "Daxter – we're running out of time!"

"Why?" Daxter hissed from right beside his ear.

"The K.G on their –"

A shot was fired just beside them, causing Jonas to hit the floor – dropping what he assumed to be Harry's corpse at the same time. A grunt of pain emitted from the darkness, a rasped voice muttering incoherently just beneath the shouts and gunfire "He's alive?"

"Just grab him!" Daxter urged, pulling at the collar of Jonas's soaked shirt.

Disorientated, Jonas hauled Harry up, practically dragging the boy across the floor. "I can't fucking see..." He hissed to Daxter, unable to pick the direction of the door in the chaos

"Left, go left!"

He did not question how Daxter was able to see, he only obeyed. Following Daxter's voice until he was out through the door and down the stairs – his stomach twisted once he could see again. Daxter was coated in red, just as Jonas was – but Harry's state is what made the runaway all the more ill.

"Jak!" Daxter called into the darkness desperate, "Jak it's not worth it! We have to leave! The K.G are on their way! Harry is going die if we don't leave!"

It was only seconds after a blood soaked Jak came barrelling through the door breathless and bruised. He, with Jonas, carried the writhing Harry out of what Jonas could only ever consider a glimpse of hell.

~_ Semi-Automatic ~_

The small bit of wire came free from skin with a shout of agony, the patient fighting against the several full grown men and six shots of sedation that held him down. Tereza, her clothes already splattered with blood, tossed the bit away. "I can't go any faster!" She apologized, unable to move quickly in fear of causing irreversible damage to vital organs. "His skin.." she muttered to herself, pulling at the edge of a wire.

A man holding Harry's shoulders to the bed felt a hand grasp the collar of his shirt – bringing him nearly nose to nose with the teen. "Just. Rip. It. Out!"

Tereza, hearing the command, could only shake her head in response. Once Harry let the attendant free, he grasped a piece of wire on his chest, shaking his head in disbelief, and pulled with all the strength he had. The sound of ripping flesh would never be one Tereza forgot.

~ _Semi-Automatic_ ~

After checking on Jonas, the rebel stuck in a trauma induced silence, Jak and Daxter made their way to Harry's medical room. Jak came to the door in time to watch two blood spattered men cart away a bin full of bloody wire. He quickly found himself inside the room, mildly stricken that Harry had indeed not made it through. The dark haired teen lay flat on the white bed, his shirt removed and replaced with bandages that were already stained. A thin white sheet was pulled to his waist, offering some warmth.

Daxter slid out of his arms to stand beside the human's head, careful to stay off his heavily bandaged hands. Jak grabbed a chair, spinning it to seat himself beside the gurney. He watched Daxter lean forward to wave a club of hand over Harry's face. "Wolfie?"

Harry's mouth twisted into a snarl. "No matter how much pain I am in," his eyes broke open only to glare at Daxter, "I swear I will kick your ass if you call me that again."

The ottsel grinned, sitting back on his haunches with the thought to look offended. "Is that anyway to talk to the guy that saved you?"

The human's eyes fell on Daxter's hands for a moment before offering a shadow of a smile. "... No... I guess not. Thanks Dax." He breathed, closing his eyes again.

Daxter seemed a little surprised; Jak smirking lightly as he slightly stumbled over his response. "Yeah, see? That's that what I mean. Credit where it is due... Even if you look like a package of ground yakkow meat."

Harry snorted while Jak laughed. "Stupid question," Jak pressed, "but how are you feeling?"

"Bloody fantastic," he grunted, "now the wire is gone."

"This is starting to become routine," Jak admitted with a sigh, "you getting caught."

Harry didn't respond at first, Jak thinking that perhaps his joking tone was lost on him. Relief came when he spoke.

"Oh, but I play the part so well..." Harry turned his eyes on him, "What happened to Errol?"

Jak shook his head reluctantly.

"Tell me you kicked his ass at least?" Harry rasped.

Daxter laughed, grinning widely. "He'll be feeling it for weeks. Jonas –"

"Jonas?" Harry said startled.

Jak cleared his throat saying quickly. "He's alright. A bit shredded up and traumatized, but he'll live."

"... Wasn't a pretty sight when we got you into the zoomer, man." Daxter commented.

"I bet not," Harry mumbled, "how did you figure out where I was?"

"Trusted the word of a half beaten K.G." Said Daxter with a laugh. "That you apparently saved and brought here."

Harry laughed, but groaned halfway through as his chest stun. The dark elf smirked as Harry asked pointedly. "Let me guess... You did the beating?"

He shrugged one shoulder. "I plead the fifth on that, but at least he was right. Why'd you save a K.G of all people?"

The recovering human shut his eyes for a moment before answering the question. That he didn't want to kill anyone else that night, or because he had suddenly felt an annoying streak of self-loathing?

"Well... I got lazy."

Daxter raised an eyebrow to Harry leaning over him so he was directly in his sight. "You, lazy?" There was a full blown grin on his face that caused Harry glare.

Jak shook his head amused. "I doubt it, but alright. I'll take that." He held out his arm for Daxter to climb onto. "You should get some rest; you can fill me in on what happened later. I need a shower," He motioned to his clothing, "a very long shower."

"Hey Jak," Harry called suddenly.

"Hmmm?" He questioned, turning back to face his direction.

Harry lulled his head to the side. "You owe me twenty orbs."

_- **End Part III: Dead Men - **_


	33. Growing Pains

**F/R: **_Welcome to the final part of Semi-Automatic. _

_Oh god I'm sorry about the updates. I have been getting school in order and life got in the way... also Dragon Age 2... Dragon Age 2 got in the way A LOT. I set myself to a schedule that I plan to follow until I finish. There will always be a chapter on the weekend and sometimes in the week. I also needed a break because I was practically forcing myself to write chapters and the story was suffering for it. I noticed, looking back, that I have been writing part 'Three' instead of the Roman numeral I started with. The outline in this chapter will be in every chapter from here on out. _

Part I: Misplaced

Part II: Losing It

Part III: Dead Men

* * *

**Semi-Automatic**

Part IV: Iron Crowns

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Three: **_Growing Pains_

"I'm sorry," Doctor Tereza Myles apologized yet again, her patient letting out another grunt of discomfort. Her hand continued to glide across his shoulder blades, a clear gel seeping into the weepy lacerations. Her two assistants held their hands carefully, but firmly, on his shoulders. He would jerk slightly to the left when she spread the gel down a large cut. She fully believed if the boy hadn't restrained himself her assistants would have become embedded in the wall with the way his muscles flex. She was continually amazed by the boy, asking the Precursors themselves what could be done to a child barely sixteen to create such a young man.

"Since we can't use Green Eco on you, these antibiotics need to be applied more often," she felt the need to explain, taking notice of how _red _his blood was. "You healed faster last time," she ventured, not knowing where the dangerous waters laid.

"_Last time," _Harry hissed through clenched teeth, _"I had more Dark Eco in me." _

That sentence alone should have left Tereza shocked, but she had heard the rumours. She focused her attention onto the last of the lacerations. Once finished, she motioned for the gauze. "Really now..." she mused thoughtfully, trying not to let her tone betray her.

Harry's only response was an exhausted nod. The Doctor had been at this for the better part of two hours and those were two hours Harry had wanted to spend sleeping. A good night's rest wasn't something he had gotten much of the last three days.

"Done," she eventually announced, the assistants easing Harry back down against the gurney.

He was more than glad to see their backs as they left without another word; too exhausted to play nice. Finding the solitary crack in the white ceiling of the Infirmary, Harry began to count back from a hundred. The repetition calmed him down, the pain eventually easing away under the copious amounts of pain killers Tereza had prescribed.

His mind began to wander, despite his attempts to focus on other things, back to the old house. He tried to think of a reason why his magic suddenly returned to him. Why, after all the times he had wished Neverous dead, did his magic react? He had his theories, but none of them sat well. Was it the lack of Dark Eco? Was it because he wanted it to happen? Each theory of was shot down by another. If it was the Dark Eco like Jak believed, then he was screwed.

Dark Eco poisoning not only placed a time limit on their lives, but naturally produced small amounts of Dark Eco inside them. It's what turned their blood black and their skin grey. The only way he could test all these theories was to have his wand in hand. That, he knew, was never going to happen. He had lost the phoenix feather wand the first day he had come to Precursia. He felt a sudden twinge of longing and a flash of anger to think of it laying somewhere broken in the Ivory Jungle. It was the last material thing he had of his world.

"Harry?" A tentative, nervous call came from his door. He let out a tired groan, cracking one eye open to find Jonas hovering just outside his curtains.

"Well," Jonas laughed uncertainly, "answered the question of 'how are you feeling?'" He stepped forward hesitantly, his shoulders and arms bandages thickly, a few more strips of cloth visible beneath his collar. Harry forced himself up and immediately understood what Jak had meant by Jonas's change. Jonas was a hyper-active, at times to an annoying degree, jovial teenager despite the sobering reality of the Underground. He was the guy in the back raring to go no matter the task. He delighted in helping people, always held a certainty in his step that came with a bounce. The boy standing in front of him with suspicious and twitchy mannerisms was definitely not the same kid he met in that shrine. Harry wondered if this was the fate of everyone that dared to call them friend.

"How are you?" Harry asked sombrely, raising his eyes from his arms.

"Been better honestly," he muttered running a hand through his mess of brown hair, "'Re said I'll be fine."

"Thanks mate," Harry said with a nod, startling Jonas.

A small, fidgety smile appeared on his face. "I didn't do much, really... just kind of stumbled in like an idiot and caught you when you fell... but, uh, chicks dig scars right?" He made a foolish gesture, earning a small chuckle from Harry that seemed to ease Jonas's nerves. A soft rap on the door interrupted whatever Jonas was going to say next, causing both of them to turn and find the Shadow standing at the entrance way. Another man was waiting patiently behind him, his hands twisting at his sides.

The Shadow, seeing Jonas, cleared his voice. "I see you're busy-" He started politely, but Jonas was already out of his chair.

"No, Sir, it's fine." He reached into his pocket, pulling out the very same knife that Harry had set flying out the window that day. "I found this in a communicator before we found you. I figured," Jonas smirked as he placed it down on the table, "the bastard wants it back, he can take from the one who grabbed it in the first place. But uh," he stumbled, "I'll chat with you later Harry."

With that he fled the room before Harry could even nod his good-bye.

"Jonas is still rather shaken up," surmised the Shadow grimly, "poor boy." He turned to face the taller of the two with a sad shake of his head. "Keep it quick, Grey, Harry needs his rest."

_'If someone would give it to me,'_ Harry thought bitterly as he eased himself into a seated position. 'Grey' as the Shadow had called him struck him as familiar, but he could not place it. The man thanked the Shadow stiffly, as if afraid to trod on his good graces. Quietly he moved past the door to the foot of Harry's bed, a contemplative look twisting his lips.

"They did a number on you." He eventually said.

"It was just one man," Harry answered dully, "you are?"

Grey let out a chuckle. "The poor asshole you shot a month ago."

Harry felt a smirk crawl over his lips, his surprise short lived. He didn't recognize the solider dressed as he was with his purple hair crawling down past his ears. "Grey, huh?" He echoed the Shadow.

"Grey Isaac," the K.G offered slowly, "before I left... I wanted to thank you for not leaving me to the Metal Heads."

"I'm also the one that shot you." Harry remarked rather harshly.

Grey's eyes flared with amusement, "Are you going to let me thank you – or should I kink your morphine tube?" He flicked the clear package of vicious liquid hanging off the steel pole.

"Leaving huh," Harry continued, "they trust you enough?"

Grey nodded slowly "I do have a wife and a child that think I am dead. If a body isn't found they're marked KIA."

Harry had to chuckle at this. "Then I would suggest you go tell your widow she's not one. Are you going back to the Krimzon Guard?" Harry felt compelled to ask. He had saved Grey's life and he now felt responsible for it. It Grey Isaac was going back, he was fair game again. Harry did not want to have to consider the fact that ever Krimzon that he killed might have a chance of being Grey.

"Right," Grey cleared his throat, turning away from Harry, "thanks." With that Harry watched the guard leave his room and be led away by another rebel.

The Shadow approached him, eying his injuries as Grey and Jonas had done before him. "You are healing fast."

"Not fast enough..." Harry muttered bitterly, tired of being bound to a bed.

The Shadow chuckled, amused by Harry's tone. "Most would be dead with the injuries you had, Harry... Yet you're angry because it is taking too long to heal?" He smiled, "you are truly and odd one," he paused briefly, "you and Jak both."

Harry found it almost comical that a man with green skin, logs strapped to his feet for sandals, and an egg nestled in a green, white afro was calling _him _odd. He supposed, to them, he was probably far stranger. "You're letting him go?"

The Green Sage gave a nod. "I have no idea where he will go after he is escorted out. Only because you were so careful is he able to leave now. I have noticed that Invisrins tend to waver after a few years in service of the Krimzon Guard. I have high hopes for him."

Before Harry had a chance to question the sage further, he turned back towards the door. "I'll speak more with you later, Harry. I have a matter I need to clean up." The wizard didn't miss the hint of frustration in his voice, or the roll of his eyes.

"Sure..." He muttered, easing himself back down with some effort. Once he was there, and comfortable, he was asleep in seconds and it only felt like seconds before a soft voice called his name. The boy growled lightly, annoyed. He didn't know when he became so popular, but it was quickly becoming the bane of his existence.

"Don't growl at me, you're not a croca-dog." Tereza scoffed in an amused tone.

'_Parts of me are,' _Harry thought, prying his eyes open with the intent to glare at the figure at his bedside. Tereza's black, blonde-tipped hair, spilled over to tickle his nose as she leaned over him. "I must be insane," she muttered, her dark eyes betraying her.

"Tereza?" He questioned, squinting past the harsh light. She grabbed at forgotten glass off the stand beside him, tipping his head to allow him to drink. He did so rather haphazardly, half the water dribbling down his chin.

Tereza simply wiped it away with a napkin. As if routine, she pressed a button to force Harry's bed to bend him at the waist. She didn't say a word to Harry, but continued to mutter beneath her breath. "This is absolutely insane; this goes against everything I have ever learned in medical school..."

Harry's last experience with a medical professional questioning herself and her ethics he had found himself with a dual personality that put most schizophrenics to shame. For several _long _moments she stared at the wall across from Harry as her hands continued on with their work.

"What are you doing?" Harry finally questioned, shivering slightly as Tereza removed every bandage leaving Harry naked in the bed. He snatched the blanket to his waist, narrowing his eyes on the doctor.

Tereza sighed, finally stopping to look him in the eye. "You have a severe infection. So severe that I don't know if it can be cured... Whatever was on that wire..." she trailed off, "I also found that you have Dark Eco Poisoning."

In her experience, Tereza had full grown men cry in her arms once she had given them the diagnosis. This boy only stared at her as if he had expected more.

"... You're not surprised." It wasn't a question.

"Are you?" He asked dully.

"N... No," she admitted, "Ugh! I can't figure you out! You have adverse reaction to Green Eco, but you are dying of Dark Eco at the slowest rate I have ever seen!"

Harry did little to hide his amusement. "You wouldn't be the first, Tereza."

Ignoring Harry completely, she continued on. "This is why I'm so hesitant..." she reached down into her lab coat, producing a small bronze vial in her gloved hand. She bit her bottom lip, glancing between the boy and the vial. "This may certainly kill you or help you... I have _no _idea."

Harry, desperate to be out of bed or go back to sleep, held out his had expectantly. "It's better than dying of infection." He offered, knowing that the Dark Eco would likely get him _long _before this infection did.

"The Shadow would kill me for this," she whispered more annoyed than anything, "but our men are getting slaughtered out there... We need both of you out there right now." With that said, Tereza slid the vial into his waiting hand. "I'm sorry in advance."

Half tempted to just ask what was inside the vial, Harry uncorked the top and the reaction was instant. Without the protection of what he now knew to be Precursor Metal, Harry felt the familiar heat and burn of Dark Eco. It crawled from the vial like a ravenous beast, crackling, and jumping to his skin even when he had dropped the container to the floor. Like a brick to his face, Harry slammed back into the bed fighting off the invisible force of the sinister thing. As it dove into his chest, his spine curled and he screamed. He didn't need to hold back, he couldn't if he tried.

Left gasping and twitching on the gurney, Harry found himself feeling better than he had in months. As the pain ebbed away Tereza tentatively started an exam. She smiled to Harry, visibly shaken. "The most destructive natural substance known to our kind and it turns your bone deep gashes to merely cuts and wipes you clean of infection."

"S...So," Harry rasped, "can I leave?"

~_ Semi-Automatic ~_

'_Getting out of a bed should not be that involved of a process...' _Harry thought to himself as he passed through the doors of the Hip Hog. The smell of alcohol and cigarettes becoming all too familiar to the young man; not that he minded all that much anymore. The bar, as usual, was empty save for a few die-hard drunks in the corner and Jak and Daxter at the counter.

"So there I was," Daxter started dramatically, "toe to toe with five of the nastiest Metal Heads you ever saw! Slime oozing from monstrous jaws, teeth shaper than daggers! Slowly," he lowered his voice, creeping along the bar top, "all ten of them surrounded me, but do I surrender? No!" He threw out his chest, grinning like a mad man. "I summon my highly trained instincts and pounce!" He paused for effect, "when the dust cleared... there were twenty less Metal Heads in the world."

Tess giggled, truly enjoying the story as Jak barely paid attention and Sig rolled his eyes with a bemused smirk. "Oh wow, Daxter, you're amazing!"

Sometimes Harry wasn't sure if Tess genuinely believed that the two-foot ottsel was capable of such a feat or she was just stroking his ego... out of respect for the women, preferred to believe the latter.

Daxter, who was now lying supine on the table, sniffed rather pompously. "I know. Scratch me there." He jerked his thumb over his shoulders to point to his back. She giggled, rolled her eyes, and did as he asked.

Sig, grinning rather impishly, pointed out. "Quite a story there, _Golden Boy, _I guess you're just the 'animal' I need for another dangerous gig. Combat Metal Heads," his gazed moved past Daxter to the taller of the two, "have been spotted right here in Haven Forest."

Jak's eyebrows shot towards his hairline in surprise, but remained silent to allow Sig to finish. "These new bad boys have special camouflage so they're tough to spot." Amused, he looked down Daxter, who by now was shaking with absolute terror. "But I'm sure with your '_killer instincts' _you'll manage to go to the forest and take 'em all out."

"Ya-yah, uh, Jak'll come with me so I can show him how it is done." His voice cracked slightly, his goofy grin trying to hide absolute terror. Harry admired and hated Daxter's ability to remain afraid despite the alarming regulatory of terrifying things they faced.

Jak merely rolled his eyes, all too used to his antics.

"You're the absolute master of combat, Daxter," Harry announced his presence," I am in awe of your ability to cower."

"Yah, you just jealous –" He started with a snort, "Wait Harry?"

Harry tossed him a mocking salute, nodding to Tess as she handed him a strong smelling drink. "You should still be out, Harry... You," she thinned her lips nervously, "looked pretty bad the last time I saw you."

The boy shrugged, finding no reason to explain himself. "I'm fine," he brought the cup to his lips, "taking out some Metal Heads sounds like fun after my week."

Sig only let out a hearty laugh, patting Harry roughly on the shoulder. "That's the spirit, Cherry."

"No," Jak emphasised, "you're going to stay here and then you'll explain what happened after I get back."

Daxter nodded in agreement. "Yah, what he said. Seriously, dude, you were still a pin cushion last night."

Harry vividly remembered. "I've been stuck in a bed for three days. Do you honestly think I'm going to listen to 'No' right now?" He narrowed his eyes on Jak, "you have no idea how much I want to hit something."

Jak sighed through his smile. "Just finish your drink."

~semi-Automatic~

Once they had finished, the trio found themselves head through Upper Haven; Jak mentioning that he had put off seeing the mechanic at the stadium long enough. Harry, starting to feel his exhaustion, merely nodded.

"What did happen?" Jak finally asked, ending the long silence that had lapsed between them.

"How did you find me?" Harry dodged, locking his fingers behind his head.

Jak rolled his eyes, but Daxter jumped in. "Well, the blood helped – and a dagger flying out of the window... By the way, how did that happened. You were tried to that chair."

Harry stared at the sky for a moment. "That was me; I missed him by inches..." He remarked bitterly. If only he hadn't turned, _if only... _

Jak cocked an eyebrow. "Magic?" The teen didn't pretend to understand what powers Harry had. The idea still seemed rather ludicrous, but if the last two years had taught him anything.

With a nod, Harry offered. "I think I may have figured out why I can't cast magic anymore. I think it has something to do with the Dark Eco in the b-"

"Wait, wait, wait – back up." Daxter waved his hands dramatically, "Magic? As in wand waving, turn-people-into-yakkows-type magic?"

Harry laughed, the corners of his mouth turning up. "Yes, Daxter, that is exactly what I am talking about."

"huh..." was all Daxter seemed to able to say.

Jak, shaking his head amused, extended his hand forward. "I can't channel properly because of the Dark Eco –" he paused, "-Neverous knew about the Dark Eco?"

"No, apparently the test animal was infected, but it never showed on the scanners." Harry shrugged. "I don't know if it is true... I'm not saying the source was reliable, but can you think of another way for it happen?"

Jak shook his head, already assuming the source. "... I'll admit it does sound like the cause... you don't want to talk about this do you?"

Harry smirked. "How'd you guess?"

The topic was dropped after a short laugh, the bay doors to the mechanic's garage sliding open as they approached. The young woman was, once again, hidden behind the ratty green curtain.

"We destroyed Krew's cargo," Jak announced, a certain hint of pride hidden in his voice.

Both Daxter and Harry couldn't resist the urge to roll their eyes, not knowing exactly what this girl had done to attract Jak's attention. She was attractive, or at least her shadow was.

"Great," the girl drawled, "I'll send you a medal. Now if you don't mind, I'm on a deadline – so scram."

Jak's expression darkened. "Are you always this difficult?"

'_Are you always this persistent?' _Harry thought.

Daxter, frustrated, slid down from Jak's shoulder. "Let me handle this, Jak." He waved his hand back at the two of them as he headed to the curtain. "Listen lady, we beat your stupid course, and we can outrace anybody in this city-"

The figure's head shot up, muttering. "That voice..."

" – and there are just two things you need to know. One, we don't wanna join your stinkin' race team. Two, you just lost a date with Orange Lighting!" he finished crossing his arms over his chest and turned back towards them. "We out."

The curtain suddenly flew open, Harry jumping back to avoid being smacked in the face by the edge. The woman who stepped out had blue hair with eyes nearly as green as his own.

"Daxter! It is you!"

"Keira?" Daxter shouted in disbelief before being swept up in a hug.

Harry glanced to Jak, surprised to find him wide eyed and slack-jawed.

"Oh, I never thought I'd be so happy to see your furry mug! And Jak-" she said jumping to her feet. Upon seeing him, her voice lost its excitement. "You look... different."

Jak looked away almost instantly, as if unable to bear looking at the woman before him. A hand drifted subconsciously towards his throat, fisting the material of his scarf. "It... It's been a rough ride."

The mechanic stepped forward, concern written in every pour of her rounded face. She slowly reached out to him, trying to comprehend what he meant.

"The Baron pumped our boy here full of Dark Eco and it did something to him."

At this, she retracted her hand instantly; Jak visibly flinching as she did so.

"Now he's got super moves or something," Daxter added, "and a few anger issues as well." Jak's eyes narrowed dangerously on Daxter, giving proof to Daxter's claim.

It took a moment, but Harry began to realize why this young woman had such an effect on Jak. He had spoken about her a few times, a girl he knew back home – one who came through the Rift with him. He had always talked about finding her and Daxter, but he doubted this was the way he had envisioned it. For the briefest moment, Jak looked ashamed and Harry wondered if the same could be said for him if he ever returned home.

"Who is that?" Keira asked suddenly, finally taking notice of Harry.

Jak was glad for the distraction. "Keira, this is Harry. Harry, Keira."

Taking the chance to further the conversation away from the disastrous reunion, Harry stepped forward to take her hand. "I've heard a lot about you from Jak; it's nice to finally meet you." He did his best to seem polite, or at least charming.

A blush rose on her cheeks as she took his extended hand. Harry attempted to hide his smirk as Jak glared half-heartedly in his direction. It was when she let go, Harry added. "I'm sorry about not coming to pick up that bomb shipment. I got delayed." He would attempt, if only for the fact she was Jak's childhood sweetheart, to be nice.

"Uh," she stumbled, "it's alright..." She cast her eyes back towards the other two. "I have been looking for you forever! And," Keira raised a finger as she marched back over to the curtain. "Planning for a way to get us back home! Somehow the Rift send us far into the future. I've calculated the time displacement and... "

Jak took a step forward, cutting her off. "We found your father... well sort of."

Daxter nodded vigorously. "Working with the Underground... But he's ahh..." He trailed off uncertainly. Harry wasn't entirely sure why the duo was having such a hard time explaining to Keira that her father was very much alive... If not practically thriving.

"What?" Keira begged apprehensively.

"You need to see him," Jak shook his head, "and we need to get to the Baron."

Keira paused for a moment, her hand coming to her chin. "you could try and win the Class One Racing Championships. The winner of that race always gets to meet the Baron at the Palace. But you have to qualify by winning the lower class races." She glanced to her clock. "There's a Class Three Race starting soon. You can drive for my team, both of you can." She grinned to Harry.

"But Jak..." she lowered her voice, "we should really think of getting out here. I don't like this place... and some of the people are creepy."

Just as Jak would have answered her, a disgusted look came across his face. Harry had no doubt he wore the same as Krew came floating through the bay doors moments later. How he had fit through the saloon door... neither of them wanted to know.

"Jak, my boy!" He called as he spotted him, "I need that Ruby Key you found, 'ey. I 'special client' has requested it."

"Sorry about that Krew," Jak answered in a 'my bad' manner, "heh, heh... I must've forgotten." He dug the key from his pouch, tossing it clean across the room to Krew's greedily waiting hand.

"Right..." He hissed looking at the key as if he had found the Holy Grail. Once he had left, his stench following, Harry spoke up.

"You can't race under your real name, Jak."

"Short-Ears is right," Daxter agreed, "you'll have K.G on your ass in moments."

Jak's eyes, skating over the trophies, tapped one of the plates. "How about Axel?"

With a nod Keira jerked her thumb over her should. "I can register you under that name... and you?" She turned to face Harry, expecting the same.

"I'm in no condition to race. Give me a normal zoomer and I am fine... but I'll stay away from the tra-" He began only to be interrupted by the crackling P.A system.

"Attention drivers; The Class Three Qualifying Races are to being soon."

Keira rushed past them, saying as she went. "There's still a spot left in the first round. Head up to the track while I go put you in!"

Harry turned to Jak, taking his hand in a firm shake. "Good luck mate, I'll be in the stands."

~ _Semi-Automatic ~_

The left wing of the stadium was by far the closest entrance to the track, Harry opting for a decent seat, headed there first. Once he had cut away from the mechanics quarter of the block, the dull roar of a crowd could be heard within the main dome. It sounded as if the entire city was packed in. Harry wouldn't have been surprised to find he was right. There was little entertainment in this city.

"Why can't you just believe me? I've been hounded by Errol for hours already!" A voice growled out in annoyance.

Harry stopped mid-step, turning to look to an entrance farther down in the line. To his surprise, and dismay, he spotted two female Krimzon Guards standing there. Neither noticed him, too engaged in their heated argument. Harry would have continued on if he had not recognized Ashelin.

"It is bullshit and you know it!" Ashelin stated simply, her arms crossed over her chest in a haughty gesture.

The second woman struck Harry like a brick. At first glance he hadn't recognized her in a K.G uniform, no less her pale face adorned with K.G issue print. Ava had never hid her intentions of joining the Krimzon Guard, but it did not mean it stung any less to see a woman he considered a friend to wear that armour.

"Ava, look..." Ashelin sighed into her hand, "You know I'm not like either of them. I don't care for what you are saying..." she briefly glanced into the stadium, "I'm your sister, Ava. You may not believe it – but you can trust me."

Ava returned her words with silence and Harry found himself completely caught off guard. He would have never imagined Ava being the daughter of the Baron... She just never seemed the type...

'_She and Errol have the same eyes,' _Harry considered, _'that's what Jak meant...' _Even for an elf, the yellow coloration was rare; so rare it wasn't a coincidence they both had it.

"Why, after all these years, do you suddenly want to help him ruin the city?" Ashelin asked with hint of desperation in her voice.

Ava's reaction was instant this time, her bright eyes filling with uncharacteristic disdain. "You seem to be doing a great job of _not _helping, aren't you? Must have done something to really piss him off to get demoted." She scoffed, gesturing to Ashelin's deceased shoulder rank, "look," she snapped, "Get over it. I'm not going to help you '_save' _the city with your precious Underground."

Ashelin's face fell briefly, betrayal sinking into her green eyes. Without another word spared for her sister, Ashelin retreated into the stands. For a tense moment Ava stood there, watching her go with a steely, hateful expression. When it passed, she dropped her shoulders and buried her face in her hands. Taking a gamble, Harry brought himself into her eye line.

"Been a long time, Ava."

The woman, caught off guard, had a gun at his chest in seconds. Her eyes grew as she recognized him; her gun dipping a fraction of an inch. "Harry...?"

He offered her a small smile, unafraid of the pistol aimed directly at his chest. This wasn't the first time he had been on the receiving end of Ava's gun. However, it was the first he wondered if she would actually pull the trigger. "Can't say I'm surprised to see you here." He went on.

"I can say I was surprised to learn that you and Jak are the most wanted men in Haven City. The hell'd you do to end up in prison?" Ava demanded sharply, no trace of a welcome in her defensive stance.

"We didn't do anything... You have no ide-" he started.

Ava, frustrated, sliced her hand through the air. "No, Harry, I don't." She moved forward, anger splashed across her marked face. "I thought we were at least close enough for me to dare to call you my friend. Obviously you two didn't trust me enough to admit what was really going on! _You _didn't trust me enough."

Harry's voice barely made it above a whisper. "You are... Would you have believed us?"

Ava nodded vigorously, flourishing her hands. "Yes! I would have! You two just left! I was left alon-" Her voice lost all volume, dying in her throat as emotion drained from her face. The only sound between them was the blaring alarm signalling the start of the race and the roar of the crowd.

"Get this straight," Ava grunted, staring at the ground between them, "and warn Jak. If I ever see you two again – I won't hesitate to arrest you."


	34. SNAFU

**F/R: **_Only two more chapters! Then ALLL NEW SEMI-AUTOMATIC CONTENT. _

* * *

**Semi-Automatic**

Part IV: Iron Crowns

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Four: **_SNAFU_

_Another hold until further notice order... If the day continued like this they'd be swallowed up by the swamp long before they returned back to the grounds. Adjusting the gun slung low on his shoulder; Harry eased his finger over the trigger. He stood just behind a group only nine men strong. His teammate standing a few meters to his right, eyes settled on the thick brush to their left with an abnormal expression. He searched for another, a brunette, standing with her too-yellow eyes set on the sanguine sky above them. _

_She, like the two behind her, found the repeated order more of a hassle than a respite. The furrowed brows and tightness of her expression spoke volumes. Harry turned his eyes to the thicket to his left, searching for signs of a Metal Head or Aether. His limited experience in a environment like this left him uneasy and jumpy. _

"_Why would they call first years for this?" Jak spoke up from beside him, removing the small ear piece to allow them privacy. _

_Harry shook his head slowly, still intent on scanning the string-like trees at their sides. "I can take a wild guess." _

_The elder boy chuckled, swinging his body around to face Harry. "Think about that again," he made a small, almost non-existent, gesture towards Ava's back. Harry did reconsider his original idea briefly, but fell short of the answer that Jak wanted. No doubt this was a plan sprung on their platoon leader. He had been less than willing to take them along once they had fallen in line with their new division. _

_Eventually deciding it was not worth it, Harry simply shrugged his shoulder. In truth, he was just as surprised as Ava and Jak when they had been ordered to report the Southern Gate in combat gear. _

"_Move out," _

_Jak quickly replaced the ear piece and moved further down the water clogged channel. They waded in the black water for nearly a half an hour more in silence. Tension began to build in Harry's shoulders, the sun finally dipping below the tree line. As darkness enveloped the group, Harry pressed the small red button on his headset. With a click, a green visor spread cleanly over his eyes, illuminating the shadows in infra-red. _

_It was then that Harry's stomach flipped. Halting suddenly, he turned quickly to stare at the vast black hole the channel had become. His radar didn't go off, nor did he find the source of his unease in the infra-red. Neither of these things eased him as the moments passed on baited breath. He could not see a thing, but he felt it as his core. If there was anything he had learned, that meant something far more dangerous than a Metal Head lurking in the water. _

"_Harry what is it?" Ava's voice called softly through the com. _

_The entire platoon, sharing the same channel, stopped as well. He could hear the click of gun metal and the stretch of leather gloves as they prepared. _

"_... There is something in the water." Harry hissed back, eyes flying to Jak. _

_The elf tensed, but showed no sign of sensing the same thing. Yet, unlike the rest of the platoon, Jak trusted Harry's newly developed sixth sense. Something was there. It was and he knew it, he just couldn't see it. After a tense moment, the rest of the men summed it up to be the nerves of a first year. _

"_We-" _

_It happened with a roar and flash of ivory teeth. The next thing that he knew, the gun was gone from his hands and his mouth was full of salt water. He panicked, kicking, and clawing at the scaly mass clenched around his leg. He could just hear the siren of a Vulcan Mod and the near deafening bang of a Scatter gun, but nothing seemed to detach the tentacle from his leg. Violently he was tossed, his head smacking against something hard. He instantly went limp, drifting on the edge of consciousness. _

_Unearthly screeching woke Harry, the grip on his leg slacked and a hand clasped his collar. He took in a rushed breath, both fists coming to his chest to force water from his lungs. He blinked furiously, trying to regain his focus. _

'_Ambush?' he thought widly as a gun was shoved back into his hands. _

"_Aether Lizards!" Ave shouted above the fight. _

_Harry, regaining his focus, brought the Blaster up and began to fire. "Where is Jak!" He shouted back, the blonde having been right beside him when the creature attacked. _

_If Ava responded, Harry was unable to hear it over the whistle of a bomb. They two of them sprang into action as the massive ball of white energy soared towards them. Dropping their guns to their sides, they lunged away. It sent trees, water, and bodies in all directions over their heads. It was when Harry looked up again he found Jak standing in front of a Aether corpse with both hands on the small of his back. Harry, pulling his gun from the sludge, scrambled out of the way of another lizard._

"_Jak! What the hell!" Harry cried, his Blaster firing as fast as he could make it. _

"_Bastard threw me into a tree when you went under!" Jak shouted back, swinging his gun in arc as the lizards advanced on him. "Where is Ava?" _

_Frantically Harry scanned the fight before them, but like Jak, he could not make her out anywhere. _

"_Left!" Jak yelled, jabbing the barrel of his gun towards where the bomb had hit. _

_Ava had been knocked to the ground, a large Aether standing above her ready to attack. Trepidation filled both Harry and Jak as they forgot their fights and ran. She threw her hands up in an attempt to defend herself. The sound of gun fire and water, Ava found herself looking up at Harry, Jak beside him, extending his hand to her. _

"_I... I thought..." she stammered, visibly shaken. _

_Harry could feel her tremors as she grasped his hand. "We've got your back," he assured her with a smirk, "So don't think you can get out of training that easy." _

"_Y-Yah, don't shoot a girl for trying." She replied, her terror replaced by gratitude. The three of them followed the body clogged channel back to the remains of the platoon and a very pissed off, and wet, Commander Alec. _

_~ Semi-Automatic ~_

The roar of the crowd shook the stadium as the racers crossed finish line. Harry, with no mind to the trampled in the masses, turned back to Keira's garage. The encounter with Ava had left him with thoughts he didn't quite understand. Betrayal, he understood that, but he did not understand _why _he felt so... _sad _about it. There was no anger directed at Ava, only regret.

The Havenite had been a close friend of Harry and Jak while in Invisera. It was hard not to become close with the people you trained with. You spent every day together, you fought with them, and you spilt blood, sweat, and tears with them. You grew to trust them, to _know _them...

Yet, as Harry realized, they knew _nothing _of each other. The surface had been barely scratched when it concerned Ava. She thought them from some rural city off the coast. That they were simply country-boys looking to becomes soldiers. Ava did not know that Jak was from the past or that Harry was from another world completely... And, frankly, they knew nothing of Ava.

By the time Harry reached the garage, Ashelin was leaving. She gave him a nod, unable to afford him anything more in the sight of the guards. He returned the gesture, but continued straight down the alley. He needed to talk to Jak. When he reached the bay doors, he found Jak waiting outside for him.

"Jak-" Harry started.

"Let's just get back to the base." Jak stated, heading down the stadium stairs blatantly ignoring Harry's attempt.

Harry was curious of Jak's suddenly subdued nature. He would have thought the elf excited he had won the race. Racing was one of the very few things Jak allowed himself to enjoy, besides killing Metal Heads and the Guard. He felt himself safe to assume that something had happened between Keira, Ashelin, and Jak. No doubt in his mind that it was Daxter's fault.

"_Harry?" _

Harry looked towards his newly given Talkbox; the Shadow's voice crackling through the line. "I'm here." He said loudly, attracting Jak's attention at the bottom of the steps. Harry only raised his hand when Jak began to ask who it was. "We are heading back to the base."

"_I need to get a hold of Jak... But it seems he's seen it fit to turn off his communicator." _

"I'm with him now. Do you want me to pass a message off?"

"_Yes, if you would. I'm in Onin's hut." _

Harry didn't recognize the name, but decided against verbalizing it.

"_She wants Jak to head down here. I want you to come along as well._" With that the Talkbox folded in on itself, leaving much to be desired from the conversation.

"Who was that?" Daxter called back up the stairs.

Harry said. "Your Talkbox is off and apparently Onin wants to see you."

With the look on confusion that crossed Jak's face, it was apparent that he did not know what 'Onin' wanted of him either. "Who is Onin?"

"The Soothsayer Ashelin told me to see." Jak mumbled, lost in thought.

"Hey," Daxter piped up, "maybe bird brain has figured out what the three artifacts are."

"Maybe..." Jak trailed off, "Might as well go... You wanted to tell me something?" He turned to look at Harry with a cocked eyebrow, the events of the garage seemingly forgotten.

Deciding that Ava was a topic best left for another time, Harry merely shook his head. "Never mind... It wasn't that important."

Upon seeing the Soothsayer's tend for the first time, Harry found himself genuinely surprised by it. Jak, not at all concerned with its appearance, continued straight through the flap. Harry muttered as he followed. "... A skull is never a good sign."

The outside, however, had much less of an impact than the inside. Harry spotted the elderly woman sitting cross-legged on the floor, a bowl-like hat atop her head, and a parrot cross-breed sitting inside of it. In front of the woman was a small fire that seemed to highlight every wrinkle and contour of her face. Behind was a large, rather impressive, wooden carving. A pulsing light coming from somewhere deep in the carving glowed a rather sinister purple.

"Ah, the bird brain and I were just talking about you Jak!" The Shadow, who Harry had not seen at first, chuckled. He tilted his head forward slightly, his fingers hooked into his leather suspenders. "Onin is very proud of what you did."

Harry took the moment of confusion on Jak's part to studying the Soothsayer. Her eyes were an iridescent pearl color. True to Ashelin's word, the woman was as blind as a bat. What surprised Harry more than a blind Soothsayer was the Spanish accented voice that came out of the hybrid's mouth.

"What you did... what you'll do... It's all the same." He waved his feathered had to Jak as if he truly didn't matter.

Daxter leaned forward on Jak's shoulder, scowling at the bird. "Would you stop with the deha-voodoo stuff!" He growled, Jak only smiling in response. "It's creepy!"

'_Spend a day at Hogwarts, you'll creepier things in your cauldron.' _Harry thought amused

The Shadow cut in before the creature, Pecker Harry assumed, could retaliate. "Onin says that you need to find the Tomb of Mar."

The elderly woman's hands started to move, sparks following diligently with them. He'd have a mind to say she acted like a witch herself if he didn't believe Eco was mystical enough to mimic the action of magic. "Even now Baron Praxis seeks the Tomb of Mar, but only the – arrk- one true heir of Mar can open the tomb." Pecker translated for them.

The Shadow raised his hand. "We believe the kid is the key."

Harry frowned for a moment, considering his words. The kid they had escorted to the Power Station? What about that boy could be special? He seemed ordinary enough... Harry silently contemplated this as Pecker went on to say.

"The Prophecies say that one true heir to Mar must face the ancient oracle. That he alone must circumvent the cunning tests of manhood. He alone must wield the Precursor stone, thereby unleashing the –" He suddenly took in a deep breath, face forming a glare as he shouted out surprising the Soothsayer and Sage. "Geez Louise fossil lady! Stop with the snoothy mythy talk already!" He leaned over the brim of the hat, glaring at her. "You know that it hurts my lips!" He pursed them to prove a point, but Harry doubted Onin could see it. Let alone cared.

"Why is Mar's Tomb so important?" Jak asked mildly interested, half frustrated.

Pecker answered with a huff. "The fabled Precursor Stone is rumoured to sleep within the tomb, stupid!"

Onin's eyes darted to Pecker before a frown settled on her wrinkled lips. He placed a winged hand on his chest with an impish grin. "I added the stupid part."

"The Precursor Stone contains vast eco energies. It can be used for great good, or great eeeevilll." He wriggled his fingers, a large smile on his muzzle as he looked ot the Shadow. "I just love saying that last part."

The Shadow sighed. "The Baron wants the Precursor Stone for himself to rule the world."

Harry began to realize that this was leading into something far greater than what they had set out to do. This was becoming less and less about revenge and more and more about saving a city and crumbling a corrupted empire.

"But he's playing with forces that he doesn't understand." The Shadow added grimly.

Jak, realizing what was wanted of him, sighed heavily. "Alright Pecker how do I get this... Precursor Stone?"

Just as the hybrid was about to answer, Samos spoke leaving the creature pout atop Onin's head. "First you most go to the Dig and find the Lurker Totem. Onin and I have learned that a piece of the seal of Mar is contained within its ancient carvings,"

At this moment Jak and Harry noticed that Daxter was falling asleep on his shoulder. "You must find all three pieces of the seal to open Mar's gate in the canyon." He turned to face Onin and Pecker. "I must go; I have to deal with some matters back at the Hideout. It's always a pleasure to speak with you Onin."

Just as he passed by Harry, he placed a hand on his shoulder briefly. "Good to see you up and around, Harry."

The boy nodded to the Sage, the scent of moss fading from the tent as he left. Harry looked to Jak with a small shrug. "Well... We've had harder missions."

Both Jak and Daxter agreed, turning away to follow after the Sage. Harry turned to leave, but found himself stopping mid-step as Pecker spoke. A new, rather unfitting, tone of disgust etched into his words. "Don't think changing your name will hide what you've done from us."

"I... didn't expect it to?" Harry assumed they were speaking of something he had done recently, in Haven. No amount of anything would ever absolve Harry, or Jak, for what they had done...

"Wait... Changing his name?" Pipped up Daxter, catching onto what Harry had missed. "Harry isn't your name?"

Jak frown grew more, a hint of something behind his eyes as he looked to Harry.

Harry turned back to face the Soothsayer and Pecker. "No, that's my name..." For the first time he noted the disgust on Pecker's face as he looked over him.

"You are rather young to be a mass murdering wizard intent on taking over the world you come from." Pecker observed, his wings folded over his body.

Now Harry was completely lost. "... What?"

"I think you've lost it Pecker," Commented Daxter. "Wolfie here isn't bent on world domination. That's Praxis's gig."

The bird snorted as he translating Onin's hand signs. "You can fool them, but Onin can sense who you are. There is no point telling us you're not what you are." His eyes narrowed.

"Voldemort."


	35. Knowing When to Duck

**F/R: **_I've noticed my biggest problem as a writer – one not having a proper beta – two being seem to miss words as I type :/ I promise I will do my best to fix that in the last few chapters of this story. One more update and the new content of Semi-Automatic will be posted. I'm thankful for everyone who has stuck around the numerous times that I have re-written this story. Thank you for your patients, your reviews, and your constructive criticism... _

_Thank you to the 139,039 people that have ever read this or given it a chance, and thank you to the 200+ people that left me their reviews for both versions of this story. _

* * *

**Semi-Automatic**

Part IV: Iron Crowns

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Five: **_Knowing When to Duck _

'_Did he just...' _

Harry had accepted, at some point, there were words that he would never hear spoken again. Faces and names he'd never see or hear again. That he would always have an understanding of something no else would grasp in this world. Magic, Death Eaters, Hogwarts, and the Boy-Who-Lived had become meaningless words; Just Nonsense.

He had replaced them with things more relevant. Krimzon Guard, Underground, Eco, guns, death, and Dark Eco... It all had meaning now. A relevance no longer kept by the name Voldemort. Isaac Neverous had become his bane, his target, _his number one enemy. _

Yet, as the name fell from the hybrid's mouth, Harry realized it would always have meaning. A dark and sinister meaning of the man who murdered his parents and tormented his life... it was not a role so easily replaced.

A fury exploded in his chest, his hand growing numb with rage, his teeth grinding together they might break. He felt the insanity slam into the barriers, he could hear it roar, howl, and feel it beating against the front of his skull screaming to set free.

'_I'm not him.' _

Voldemort's demented laughter floated on the memory of Harry laying at his feet in agony. It was quickly replaced with Harry standing over a nameless K.G screaming in the same horrible pain as the Dark Eco ate his skin. The same, demented look satisfaction deformed his face as it had Voldemort's that night.

'_No...' _

Harry fought the urge to lung at the bird, to tear him limb from insinuating that he was anything akin to Voldemort. All he saw was Pecker's disgust, the tenseness of the woman's shoulders, and the hints of fear welling in both.

'_I-I... I'm not...' _

He was sobered by horrific notion that he, Harry Potter, could ever be compared to Voldemort. That he, himself, could make the connection far better than anyone who stood in that tent with him. To know that he could command the same fear that Voldemort relished in. That an entire city feared them... feared _him... _

Harry was suddenly light headed; all the pressure of the Dark Eco released in sudden breath of air. He clenched his fists, nails digging deeply to reopen the treatment scars. His shoulder hunched in effort to control himself and to keep him on his feet.

'_Am I?' _

~ _Semi-Automatic ~_

When the accusation left the monkeet's mouth, Jak could feel the change in Harry. The lurch of Dark Eco literally hit Jak, and Onin, like a wall. His eyes found Harry tense, his eyes narrowed, and the emerald becoming furious amber. Jak or Daxter not could explain the sudden change in neither Harry nor the disgust on the usually comical face of the translator. The Soothsayer's old body tensed, as if she already knew what was under Harry's skin.

"_Jak..." _Daxter whispered urgently, _"his hands!" _

The distinct sound of cracking knuckles alerted Jak to what Daxter was trying to tell him. Harry's hands had flexed out, his nails growing steadily longer. They were not the small razor like claws that had nearly ripped his throat out in the Sewer, but long black-hued daggers. Jak let out a small breath, his own Dark side growing excited with the electricity in the air. It could tell there was something there, something just as dark, waiting to crack through Harry's skin. The first time Jak had witnessed Harry's Dark side, it nearly killed him. It was not as monstrous as his, but it had only begun to manifest then. How could it have changed?

Against Daxter's hushed, but insistent, suggestions to stop Harry, Jak was held fast to his spot. He watched Harry intently. He wanted to, despite his own judgement, see what would happen next.

Then it was gone.

Harry swayed forward, just as he had in the Sewer. He acted as if he had just regained consciousness and quickly schooled himself down. His eyes were wide, his chest heaving, and blood pooled in his hands that sizzled the carpet when it hit. He looked horrified. For the first time in nearly a year, Harry truly looked _scared. _It was all gone in a flash, replaced with thinned lips, narrowed eyes, and a tensed jaw.

"How..." he sucked in a breath, "do you know that name?" He stared down the pair, daring either of them to lie. "No... No one here should know that name."

Jak's eyebrows shot towards his hairline, quick realization clearing the situation. This was something to do with the world Harry was from. A name from that world... It did not concern Jak if Harry was a mass murdering wizard or not. Jak didn't believe it for a moment. He _knew _him and did not see that malignant tinge in his eye that he saw in Praxis or Errol. No, what concerned Jak was that there was a chance that Harry, one of the few he dared to trust, had lied to him. He had told him very little of his world, practically nothing... but had their promise never to walk on their past let Harry lie so easily to his face?

Pecker gained back a courage Jak didn't know he had. "It is your name."

"No," Harry replied with a growl, "My name is Harry, Harry James Potter."

Onin's reaction to the name was curious. Her mouth opened as if she were to speak and closed just as quickly. For a long time she only stared at Harry, her blinded eyes trying desperate to see something she couldn't. With shaky hands, she quickly spelled out something to Pecker that no one could understand. Pecker gaped at her, glancing quickly between Harry and the Soothsayer.

"You're joking?" He muttered, a feathered hand covering his mouth in disbelief.

Onin merely dropped her hands, nothing more to say and Pecker remained silent.

Jak, released from whatever hold had kept his still, stepped between the enraged human and the old woman. "Mission," he reminded Harry, "we have a mission."

The boy glowered at Jak, his eyes still flashing between normal green and abnormal amber. Jak locked eyes with him, trying to silently convey that he needed to leave before he did something drastic. He had enough trust in Harry's control, but it ultimately came down to the fact that he knew there was no control sometimes.

~ _Semi-Automatic ~_

Harry needed to breathe. Just _breathe. _

He felt as if he'd lost some fight and was left disabled and crippled – and it frustrated him to no end. He marched forward, not caring where it would take him, he just kept moving forward. He ignored those around him, behind him, and even in front of him. When he met a mass, he merely pushed it aside, blatantly ignoring the indigent shouts or curse words sent at his back. Night had fallen sometime while they were in the hut, the Bazaar was brightly lit and the night life was just as bustling.

It was a god-damn name and he was acting as if he had just had his ass handed to him by the man!

He was Harry Potter, not Voldemort... If only it was a name that separated them, their actions had become similar. Their reasons differed, but Harry's method had become his. He could rip a man's heart out and not think twice about it. He could break someone's neck and walk away without a lick of remorse... but he couldn't hear _his _name without freaking out? Nearly losing control on a _bird _and a bloody _blind _woman? Did it really have to do with the name? Or was it an accusation that the woman never made?

That Harry could understand, if not somewhat agree, with what Voldemort did and how he did it?

Voldemort's torture had been a fraction of what Harry had been through, but it had been the most... _Reasonable. _

Harry let out a bark of a laugh, bitter and resentful.

Harry Potter had brought down the most feared wizard as a mere _baby. _How embarrassing is that? How _pissed _off would you be if someone, half your age and experience, kept ruining your plans? Kept pushing you back to square one with his dumb luck? How much would you be willing to do to get a chance to cause that person pain? Half the pain that you had to endure or the humiliation? No less half the dignity you lost.

He absently rubbed his chest, the lingering sensation of the torture curse seemed to filter back through his memory. Even against the pain of the Dark Eco... The Cruciatous Curse was worse. Two different purposes, two different pains, two different people... two different worlds.

He was tempted, vaguely, to go back to the Soothsayer and demand answers.. Answers that he wanted, no, needed, to have answered before he could move past this.

Yet, as he felt a hand grasp his shoulder and jerk him backward with surprising force, those questions would have to wait.

All other thoughts rushed away, leaving only his training. He whirled around; fist ready to break the neck of the K.G that had decided to get a reputation by taking him in. He growled dangerously, arm swinging, only to be caught. His eyes snapped to the face of the assailant and he let out a grunt.

"Jak, what the hell." He said, taking his fist back.

"You almost take my head off, and I'm the one who gets what the hell?" He raised a green eyebrow.

Harry just shook his head. "Not in the mood Jak, just... Not in the mood."

"When are you ever," Daxter rolled his eyes. "Did you go temporally deaf? We chased you half way through the Bazaar and most of the slums!" He glared at Harry, obviously not impressed.

"Slums..." Harry muttered. He cast his eyes around him to see, true to Daxter's words, they were in the Slums - near the entrance to the Industrial Sector. He shook his head slowly, and went to continue on, but Jak grabbed his arm again.

"What?" He snapped, taking his arm back.

"Tell me she was wrong," Jak said suddenly, "That there isn't a chance that you've been lying to me the last two years."

Harry's eyes widened slightly, he looked to Daxter, but the rodent only shrugged his shoulders. He had barely known him for two months, how was he supposed to defend this on a level that would prove relevant?

"Who is Voldemort?" Jak questioned, ending the silence.

Harry closed his eyes tightly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "... an old complaint. He is the reason I am here." He admitted for the first time in his life, "the man that killed my parents and gave me this." He brushed back his hair briefly exposing the odd shaped scar. "I don't know why she would call me him... I really don't... He's like the Baron Praxis of my world..." He said, slightly amused. "Just able to kill people faster."

He turned to face Jak and Daxter, a sigh on his lips. "I didn't lie... I just didn't say everything I could have. Was there really a point?" He asked Jak, but the blonde remained silent. "Being compared to him... it set me off, okay? I know it's vague, but it's not a topic I like to talk about."

Jak rolled his eyes. "There are a hundred and one topics that either of us could say we don't like talking about. You do realize you can trust us," He motioned to Daxter and himself. "You and I, along with Dax, are in this together." He smirked, his eyes flashing with amusement.

"I just need to know when to duck."


	36. Slide of Hand

**F/R**_**: **__LAST OLD CHAPTER! Hopefully with this rewrite I haven't turned anyone off my story :/ I would like to hear your honest opinions of this second rewrite. Did it bring out the story more than before? OR did I slaughter it? Let me know. _

_P.S OH GOD I'M SO SORRY THIS IS LATE! I went back over older chapters to just fix the grammar and sentence structure and suddenly I'm only on chapter three and three months had gone by... ;.; _

**Semi-Automatic**

Part VI: Iron Crowns

**Chapter Thirty-Six: **_Slide of Hand _

"Smoking isn't good for your health," a voice broke out against the din, causing the young woman to turn abruptly toward the source. It was with both relief and resentment she found a familiar face marching towards her through the thick of men and machines charging into the cave. Yellow eyes considered him for a moment, nearly iridescent in the cave light. Despite his age, Riker's hair was a deep shade of grey, the stubble sprouting from his chin a considerably darker shade. His eyes appeared black, but glinted magenta as he stepped into the light.

"This armor," he rapped the shoulder guard, "is nothing more than a hassle."

"Then don't wear it." She said bluntly.

He rolled his eyes 'tsking' as if she was a child. "If it were that simple, Ava," he leaned against the wall beside her, "They're almost done unloading the equipment."

She nodded slowly, frowning. "Which team were you assigned to?"

He tilted his head to the side, "Lurker Team. I feel sorry for the bastards," he admitted, "they'll probably end up in a mine or serving some uppity noble in Haven City." He scowled at the thought. For someone not raised in Haven City, but a small community in Ivory Jungle, city politics wasn't something you got used to. Ava turned to face to entrance of the tunnel, finding the last of the teams start their travel down to the lava tunnels.

At the head of their procession was the Chief of the Excavation Team, Lazarus Normand. He was a tall man who had more scars than skin; all given to him while in service to the Krimzon Guard. To say that Lazarus Normad had love for K.G would be like saying that Metal Heads loved Haven City. He took that disdain out on his soldiers and Ava suffered just as the others.

Ava tried to comfort herself with the thought of being free of the Sewers. It was almost enough. Almost.

"What team are you stuck on?" The man standing beside her questioned, shouting to be heard above the hum of the machines.

Ava snorted in disgust. "No part of my training had me dealing with excavation – demolition yes – but no. I get stuck on Lurker patrol." She bit out venomously, glaring at the demolition team as they passed. The thick orange suits bunched at their waists while hover carts toted their barrels of TNT and Nitrate.

"As I remember it," Riker mused thoughtfully, "the human kid was the best on your team when it came down to explosives. Mainly," he chortled, "when to use them to cause the maximum amount of damage." Riker sobered himself quickly as Ava turned her unnaturally bright, and furious, eyes on him. He had forgotten the main rule when dealing with the youngest Praxis. Never mention those two. "Are you at least the head of the team?"

"You know I'm not." Ava stated wearily.

He grinned knowingly. "Of course I do, I just wanted to see how much it pissed you off. Invisrins are usually assigned to field work or Captains. Really, there is no love in your family... is there?" He commented, raising a grey eyebrow down to the woman.

Ava furrowed her brows, her body suddenly tense. "Not for fifteen years."

"What happened?" Riker dared to ask, curiosity getting the better of him.

The Invisrin flicked the butt of her cigarette away, the end bouncing off the wall across from them. "Heads up," she jerked her chin to their left. Riker discreetly cast his eyes down the tunnel to see, true to Ava's warning; Chief Normad was making his way toward them.

Ava reluctantly saluted the man as Riker did. Normad nodded to them, eyes on Riker. "Both of you are assigned to the lower tunnels near the Lurker Village. You know what to do, go."

They saluted once again and made to walk past. Ava found herself stopped behind a hand wrapped around her upper arm. More than one soldier in the vicinity stopped, watching the Chief closely. The Baron truly had no idea and Ava preferred to keep it that way. She gave a miniscule nod to Riker, the Invisrin quickly dispersing the others that stopped to watch. With a hesitant nod to both, he left to attend to his duty.

Nonplussed, Ava turned back to face the man that had nothing but contempt for her. "Sir?" she asked schooling her expression.

"What are you doing back in Haven City?" He demanded sternly.

Ava prided herself in being able to always play a step ahead of those around her. She had expected many things to come out of the Chief's mouth – she hadn't expected _that. _"Not be offensive, Sir, but what does it look like?" She answered the officer. Instantly his hand slipped from her arm as a long silence passed between them.

A gruff sigh escaped his lips. "This isn't what your Mother would have wanted..." Lazarus muttered, "Not for any of you."

"What?" Ava stumbled, not quite sure if she had heard the man correctly.

"Get down to the tunnels." He ordered, dismissing her with a wave.

"Ava!" Riker shouted over the roar of the drilling drones. Sweeping the cavern quickly she found the solider at the opposite side of the lava river. He dramatically pointed to the Lava Rider closing on the port to her right. She, along with six demo men, loaded onto the transport. She directed the man to the opposite shore where Riker stood looking incredibly bored with himself. Ava often found herself wondering how someone like Riker had passed through Invisera. He had the attention span of a kanga rat.

"How the hell did you get here so fast?" Ava questioned as she joined him on the wooden bridge.

"I caught a ride with one of the shuttles, friends with the operator." He told her off-handily.

"Normad said the oddest thing..." Ava started absently.

"That's interesting," Riker flippantly, "come on, we have to get the lower tunnels before Captain Tyron sees us." He pointed to the man standing in one of the abandoned huts having a heated discussion with a rather pissed looking K.G solider. He was the man in charge of their team and Ava did not feel like taking the bullshit he doled out on a daily basis.

"What was it you were saying about Normad?" Riker questioned once they came into an unexplored tunnel.

Ava simply shook her head. "Never mind."

They traveled the tunnels for nearly twenty minutes before finding themselves in a large cavern with no discernable ruins or landmarks to suggest anyone had been through here. "Well," Riker concluded, "this is another dead end." He placed both hands on his hips as he leaned over the edge of a steep cliff. "But there's a hut." He jerked his chin towards a small collection of metal huts pressed into the wall.

Ava, squinting into the distance, spotted a metal object pressed into the forehead of one of the totems. She knocked Riker's shoulder with her hand, pointing down into the lava crater. "Isn't that the thing we're looking for?"

Pulling his goggles from his pack, he nodded eagerly. "Thank the Precursors!" He shouted in relief, smiling brightly, "The sooner we get out of here the better!"

"When did you become religious?" Ava chuckled.

"You got here this morning," Riker stated dully, "I've had to spend a week in this little slice of hell."

Riker was never one for heat. She watched bemused as he unlatched his radio and gleefully called out the code. While they waited for a response, something caught his attention. Ava, who was scanning the upper tier of the cavern, suddenly met the stone. "What the hell!" She hissed angrily to Riker, not impressed with their sudden drop.

"Look," he whispered pointing to the sandbar nearly thirty feet below them. Crawling to his side, Ava anticipated a group of Lurkers, but found three figures emerging from a hidden cave entrance. Their features were masked by an overcast of shadows, Riker's position a far better angle.

"It's two men with a... well, one with a rodent on his shoulder..." The solider muttered, his grey brow creasing in confusion.

"_A roden-_" Ava started, only to realize who it was the moment Riker pulled his rifle. Her hand instantly snapped out against the barrel, pushing it into the stone.

"We're supposed to take them out," Riker hissed back, "its orders!"

It took Ava a moment to realize that Riker didn't recognize the two men. "That's your order as a K.G," she told him sternly, "Your order as an Invisrin Guard is to listen to your Commanding Officer." She jerked her head in the men's direction. "You were about to shoot the whole reason you had to spend a week in this little slice of hell."

Ava stole another look down into the cavern to see that Harry strode ahead of the second figure. She could just make out the young man's unruly hair in the lava-light. Riker fumbled slightly with his goggles, pulling them tight and adjusting them.

"Is that Jak?" he questioned, "He... He has facial hair." Riker had often teased the blonde about his youthful looks and reminding him of a wide-eyed ten year old during the first few months of their training. Jak had never taken much purchase in what he said, however it had always bothered him.

That couldn't be said about the young man now. That last time she had seen Jak was with Harry on their last day of training in year one. He had been, at the time, moderately muscled and working his way to clearing 5'10. He had worn a tired smile and was full of sarcastic quips that could put most to shame. He had recently been sent to the barber and the event had left him depressed for several days after. The man walking beside Harry with the creature on his shoulder was nothing like that teen. His hair brushed his shoulders in a shaggy, but clean mess. As Riker had said, he now had a small green goatee.

Jak's eyes were cold and hard, just as Harry's had been at the stadium.

"That's Jak, I think the rodent on his shoulder is called Daxter," Ava whispered back, "what are they doing here?"

"They work for the Underground," Riker reminded, "they're probably going for the seal... which means we're stuck here for another week." He sighed dramatically, burying his face into his elbow. "... _fuck." _

Ava snorted as she watched the three navigate the bridges and reach the totem. Jak looked down at the orange creature expectantly, Harry wary of the Metal Heads clustered below them. The creature shook its head defiantly, throwing his hands up in frustration. Jak cast his eyes to Harry helplessly, but he offered nothing but a shrug of his shoulders. Jak turned towards the totem, sighing, and began to climb.

Once he reached the piece, it reluctantly came free of its wood casing. Ava tensed as Jak was forced to grab onto the ledge while the top of the totem toppled down; directly onto the creature.

Harry stood wide-eyed for a moment, his lips twitching with a smile. Jak, clearing a twenty foot jump without a thought, landed beside them easily with the seal triumphantly in his hand. Harry simply pointed to Daxter and both burst out in loud laughter.

Ava felt a tug in her chest, remembering her time in Invisera. Secretly she wished she had been able to take Ashelin's offer, to have a better reunion with Harry, but that wasn't her task. Inside Haven City she was a Krimzon Guard and they were fugitives and she made it all too clear she wasn't on their side. The encounter with Harry woke feelings in Ava she hadn't felt for nearly a year.

A shift in the gravel beside her made her realized Riker made a move to stand. She grabbed his arm instantly, dragging him back to the gravel.

"What!" he grunted, "first you stop me from shooting them and now you're stopping me from contacting them? General A-"

Ava shook her head vigorously. "Not now, Riker. I'm not in the clear with Erol and the Baron."

Riker gave a hesitant nod and watched the three disappear through the Warp Gate. "What is so important that the General would order us to infiltrate the Krimzon Guard as normal soldiers, no less have our Commander Officer fucked over by the fact her family is insane."

The dark haired woman stood brushing the dirt from her uniform. "Don't hold anything back, Riker."

He smiled fondly. "You know what I mean, Ava."

"I do," she admitted, "and I warned him, but the damn asshole wouldn't listen to me. I _used _to know them and not even that well... Come on, let's get back to the main cavern."

"Alright," he conceded following closely behind as they re-entered the tunnel.

An uneasy silence broke out between the two. After nearly ten minutes of deafening silence, Riker made to break it with a joke, but Ava beat him to it. "My Mother died."

"What?" The Invisrin asked, taken back.

Ava smiled at his confusion. "You asked what happened between my family and me. My Mother died when I was five." She turned down a narrow ledge, the sounds of the drillers filtering down from the cave above them. "The Baron wasn't always so power hungry... The old King and he were even friends at one point..."

Riker followed in silence, listening intently.

"But after my Mother was killed by Metal Heads, everything went crazy..." Ava sighed heavily, rubbing her temple. "He grew more and more obsessive about destroying the Metal Heads and the three of us got the blunt of his frustration... I suppose Ashelin and I were spared the worst of it, but Erol wasn't."

"Wait," Riker quietly said, but Ava continued.

"Don't get me wrong, he's always been a jerk... But he wasn't always this sadistic. He wasn't this off." Ava told him with a shake of her head.

"If you're telling me that all _that _is from abuse..." Mumbled Riker.

"No," she said, "It was after he came back from Invisera. I don't think Invisera did it to him, I just think... it triggered everything. It could have been how the Baron changed, it could have been our Mother dying, and it could have been a million things." She decided with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Ashelin was always easier to live with, but she gradually began to change. She became withdrawn, harsher... and when I was ten, it became too much." Ava grit her teeth in anger, grinding them hard enough to make Riker wince.

"King Damas thought of my Father like a brother, he trusted him." Ava stated angrily, as if betrayed herself, "Ivory – the queen – would watch us during meetings – she was like our surrogate Mother... All three of us were there when she had Prince Mar."

"And then the Baron betrayed him." Concluded Riker.

"Not even two months after Ivory died."

"That's pretty fucked up." Riker stated, dipping his chin to his chest.

A mirthless smile broke out on Ava's face as they entered the main cavern. "Havenites usually are."


	37. Author Note

I'm sorry, but real life just got in the way of my ability to write and finish this story - as did the way I wrote it. I've given it to one of my good friends, she's an amazing writer and I believe she'll be able to finish off S.A the way I can't. Thank-you for everyone who has stuck around since the very beginning of S.A in 2006. Through two re-writes. This version of S.A in the final draft and Event will be able to keep up a good updating schedule I was never able to put myself too. Please, give it a chance.

- Shizo

Link: http .net/s/7842852/1/Riddle_Me_This

(take out the space between http and .net


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